Love Can Wait
by kattastrophic
Summary: As OC Verity's friendship with the twins and Oliver grows stronger by the years, her knowledge of  books has no help in deciphering any of the boys' growing feelings. When will she finally figure out the line between friendship and love?
1. Fateful Beginnings

**Hi! This is my first, so enjoy (:**

**(Oh, and this chapter is only the introduction to how the twins, OC, and Oliver all met.)**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any part of the Harry Potter world. It belongs to J.K Rowling. However, I do own the plot and Verity.

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><p>"Stupid, bloody, gigantic, good for nothing trunk!" I muttered after the enormous trunk fell, refusing to be put up on the compartment shelf. I kicked it. It tottered, then landed with a thud. I massaged my foot, and sat down with a sigh, looking hopelessly at my trunk. It was filled with new robes, a ton of books, and a few things from home. In all, it was much heavier than I was.<p>

Because I had just moved to Britain from America when I was nine to spend time with my ill mother, I had barely any friends, and the ones I did have were muggles. So, it was only obvious that I stuck to my mother and father like glue to the platform, too scared to venture off and follow my brother onto the train. My mother rubbed her hand against my back while my father muttered that I was being foolish under his breath. Of course, I'm always being "foolish" to him.

Now I'm in a compartment alone, miles away from either of them, dumbly staring at my trunk. I mentally cursed myself for not being at all assertive and trying to make friends. I put my head in my hands, and stared at the waves in my black hair as I shook my head.

"Erm excuse me?" I looked up. Two ginger twins stood side-by-side in the door way. I immediately felt my eyes flash gold. I willed them to go back to its original violet color, hoping that they hadn't noticed.

"Did you see that? Her eyes turned yellow!" One of the twins whispered. They saw. Well, that blows.

"Yeah?" I asked, looking down at my atrocious trunk. I just wanted to kill it even if it wasn't living. It was an embarrassment at the moment. The trunk was strewn on the floor of the compartment, as if it owned the place. I was just its attendee if it got "too full".

"Well, we were wondering," The right one started.

"-Since everywhere else is full,"

"-If we could,"

"-Y'know "

"-Stay here,"

"-Please?" The left on finished. My eyes turned green. I was jealous; they had each other, while I had no one.

"Yeah, sure!" I smiled. They seemed nice enough, and they had this kind of comforting aura. They easily lifted their trunks onto the shelves, and I just eyed mine. I approached mine cautiously, and tried picking it up, struggling to even turn it upright.

"Do you need help?" The compartment door slid open. My mouth tipped a bit open, and my eyes turned a bright gold.

"Oh dear God." I muttered under my breath. The twins started to chuckle. I shot them an icy look, and they tried harder to suppress their laughs.

The boy in the compartment doorway was older than me, surely by at least a year. He had short, ruffled hair, and looked as if he'd been up since four trying to get his trunk packed. He had dark chocolate eyes, and his face was drawn with general kindness. I smiled gratefully, very aware that my eyes were gleaming gold.

"I-I'd like that." I stammered out. The boy smiled, and heaved my trunk up, and then his.

"I'm Oliver, by the way. Oliver Wood." He had a thick Scottish accent. I shook his hand.

"I'm Verity Love." Oliver and the twins raised their eyebrows. I stared at them, my face getting very hot. My eyes were slowly turning back to violet. "What?"

"'True Love'?" One of the twins asked. "That's your name?"

"Don't ask." I muttered. "It was my father's choice." The air grew awkwardly stuffy. Oliver cleared his throat.

"So, what's your guys' name?" He said cheerfully. A sly smile slid onto their faces.

"Fred and George." They said simultaneously. I grinned. I liked these guys, they had some sense of humor. Oliver stared at them.

"Erm Who's who?" He asked. They stared at him, their smiles growing even larger.

"I'm Fred," The one on the right said.

"-And I'm George Weasley." The left suppressed a laugh. I eyed them carefully, questioning their smiles.

"Blimey, I can hardly tell the difference between you two!" Oliver remarked. One of the twins caught my gaze, and I gave them a slick smile.

"Their lying." I said simply. The twins' faces became shocked. Oliver looked at me in bewilderment.

"How did you know?" George asked. Fred just stared at me.

"A prankster never reveals their secrets, that's how. You just did!" I answered. "Oh, and your smiles. They seemed too cunning." I grinned, satisfied. These twins couldn't fool me, I thought to myself gleefully.

"Well you're a metamorphmagus!" Fred pointed out.

"Thanks for the notice." I replied back sarcastically, changing my hair from black to a deep violet. Oliver just stared at me while I finally transitioned to a dark chocolate brown.

"I've never met one before! You're really a metamorphmagus?" Oliver exclaimed. I nodded, and laughed. "Well, this is certainly interesting!" He had this illusory look on this face, and then snapped back. He cleared his throat.

"Of course," He said in a professional voice. "I need to go see the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. This is his last year." Fred and George stifled a laugh. I bit my lip as to stop my giggles. Oliver stood up sternly, and headed out of the compartment. The twins started laughing, and I grinned. The compartment door slid open quickly again, and Oliver's head popped back in.

"I'm coming back, though! I-I promise." He sputtered before slipping out. Then Fred and George's laughter got really loud. I looked at them

"What's with all the laughing? Honestly?" I asked as I sat back down. Both of the gave me a "seriously?" look. I shrugged. "What?"

"Verity, did you see your face?" Fred asked, highly amused.

"Especially when you were talking to Oliver?" George mused on. I raised my eyebrows.

"Oh, Oliver!" Fred and George mocked me. I smiled and shook my head.

"Oh, Verity, I promise I'm coming back!"

"Oh, would you?"

"-Could you?" They pretended to be love struck.

"I didn't do that!" I said, exasperated, but laughing still.

"Sure you didn't, Verity!" George laughed. "What, do you think he's-"

"Handsome?"

"Charming?"

"Absolutely dashing?" They roared out in laughter. I felt my hair turn long and red. I threw my wand at them, but hit the wall instead. Red sparks emitted from the tip.

"Careful, now. You wouldn't want to break your wand, even before you actually even started school, would you?" Fred bantered, picking up my wand.

"Just give it back, please?" I pouted, and folded my arms.

"Tut, tut. Such an attitude!" George shook his head playfully. I rolled my eyes.

"I said please. Just hand it over!" Fred waved it in my face, but quickly snatched it out of my reach when I tried to grab it.

"You want it back, right?" I saw their eyes twinkle. I glared at the lot of them.

"Yeah." I muttered. Smirks formed on both of their faces.

"Then tell us why your eyes turn yellow, when you look at us, and when you look at Oliver." My jaw dropped, and I narrowed my eyes.

"What's it to ya?" I sneered. The two of them looked at each other, then back to me.

"Well " They both drawled.

"Well, what?" I urged them to go on.

"Our father works in the ministry,"

"-and there's an Auror who's a metamorphmagus."

"She's a dear friend to our mother,"

"-and our mother explained to us one day,"

"-that some things can change with out her control, caused by feelings, or stress." I stared at them, trying to figure out who said what.

"And?" I asked. They exchanged glances.

"What's the 'feeling' behind your yellow eyes, huh, Verity?" They chorused.

"Oh." I groaned. Out of all the things, they had to ask that. I covered my face with my hands. "Why do you want to know that?"

"Because, we already know what's behind green-"

"-Jealousy-"

"-And blue-"

"-Sadness or something like that." George shrugged.

"So we're especially curious about yellow." Fred finished. I sighed.

"Fine, I'll tell you. Yellow means "

"Yes?" The two sang, and leaned in closer. I bit my lip.

"Yellow means I'm attracted to you. Or I think you're good looking." I mumbled. The two began to howl in laughter.

"Fred, did you hear that? She thinks we're attractive!" George reveled. Fred examined his reflection in the window with a silly grin.

"Well, I still think I'm the better looking one." Fred said, bemused.

"Dream on!" I laughed. They raised their eyebrows.

"So, you think George is more attractive?" Fred asked. I tried to stare straight into his eyes with a straight face.

"I never said that." I retorted strongly. "You guys look completely identical." I felt my face get hot.

"But you do think we are attractive, no?" The asked concurrently. I bit my lip.

"I- uhm. Well, I do think-" The compartment door opened, and Oliver slid in. I looked at him, relieved. "Oh, my savior!" I grinned widely, glad to be excused from the twins' question. Oliver stared at me, confused.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. Don't mind it!" I chirped, and told him to sit down. He shrugged and did so.

"I'm assuming you three are all of the same age," Oliver said, "so, what year are you guys?"

"First," we all answered. He nodded.

"Uhm, what year are you?" I asked timidly. I really hope he wasn't too far ahead.

"Third." He answered with a smile. I smiled back. The twins stared at us.

"Well, I'm positive you guys are going to enjoy your time here. What houses do you guys want to be in?"

"Well, most of our family's been in Gryffindor, so we might just be played in there." Fred said.

"If we didn't make it, then I don't know what would happen " George murmured. Oliver got an excited look on his face.

"Really? I'm in that house! It has a lot of good people in it." He said proudly. "How about you, Verity?"

"I'm not sure actually. My mum's been placed in Ravenclaw when she went, and my father was placed in Slytherin My brother's in Hufflepuff right now." I said scratching my head. "I haven't got a clue were I'm going to be placed."

"Well, maybe you'll be placed in Gryffindor with me, since, you know, it seems like your family's been on a rotation all round, and the only house they haven't got is Gryffindor." Oliver smiled at me. I tried laughing off how nervous I was.

"Yeah, I guess!"

I strolled into the Great Hall, the twins on either side of me. I looked nervously around me, gasping in awe as I gazed up at the ceiling. Stars glittered brightly, and dark clouds rolled by ever so quickly.

"Enjoying yourself, are you?" The twins asked simultaneously. Startled, I jumped about ten feet into the air, and felt my hair change into a honey yellow. Realizing it was them, I rolled my eyes, and jabbed them each with my elbows. I heard whispers coming from all around my as I turned my hair into long, soft, brown curls.

"Ouch!" I smiled smugly.

Once the line stopped, I stretched my neck to see an old, mangled hat with a rip near the brim. My eyes widened in shock as it began to recite a poem.

"It talks?" I asked George. He nodded slowly, and kept on staring at it. Figuring that it would useless to try asking them anymore questions, I looked at it, until a tall, stern lady named McGonagall began calling names. As the hat was placed on each student's head, it began shouting which house they were to be sorted in. A fluttering in my stomach started as my name got closer and closer to being called.

"Love, Verity!" I smiled nervously at the twins, and gave my most confident walk up to the stool. I sat down, and closed my eyes as I felt the hat placed on my head. I was shocked to hear a voice speaking into my ear.

"Hm, So your brother, Will, is in Hufflepuff?" I nodded ever so slightly. "But you want to be placed elsewhere? A metamorphmagus, are you?" I thought of all the times I had changed my appearance lately as he mentioned that. I dug my fingernails deeper into the stool. "You seem to have a very prudent mind, but you also act very childish at times. You are clever and cunning, intelligent in many ways." I bit my lip. "Well, it better be-!" I closed my eyes tightly. The voice stopped immediately.

"Ah! So, you don't want to be placed in Hufflepuff, or Slytherin? Ravenclaw would do so well for you, also. But I see that you have already made friends? Very well GRYFFINDOR!" The Gryffindor table burst into cheers, as I stood up abruptly and handed the hat to Professor McGonagall, who gave me a modest smile. I made my way and sat next to Oliver.

"Blimey, the hat took a while on you. I have never seen it take that long!" A red head across from me said. I recognized a bit of him in Fred and George. He stuck out his hang. "I'm Percy, by the way." I shook it.

"Verity." I answered, and turned to Oliver who gave me a pat on the back.

"See, I told you you'd be in Gryffindor!" I smiled and laughed.

"You didn't tell me anything, you merely just gave that I have the chance to be in Gryffindor!" Oliver laughed and shrugged.

"Well "

"Wait, shh! My brothers are being sorted!" Percy waved out voices away. I grinned as the twins both came to us. The shared the same gigantic smiled I had.

"Well, We're just one big happy family now, aren't we?" They said together as the practically crushed me against Oliver to squeeze in. I glared at them, and they batted their lashes at me. I laughed, and rolled my eyes.

"You two are absolutely ridiculous!" I giggled.

"Don't we know that?"


	2. This Could Mean Jealousy?

_Four, lovely years have passed since that fateful morning on the Hogwarts express where Oliver, the twins, and I met. Now, Oliver's in his last year, and the twins and I are now fifth years (Oh the joy of preparing for O.W.L.s!) ._

I sat in the usual compartment we sit in when we ride on the Hogwarts express, waiting for the others to come in. I nervously kept on changing my hair color as I began to get impatient sitting here alone.

"Why the Bloody hell do I _always _have to be the first-" A bang and a flash cut me off, and immediately after wards, a gigantic gray cloud swarmed the compartment. I coughed and covered my mouth, cautiously holding my wand up. I glared at the smoke as it cleared, waiting for someone to pop out.

"Fred, George!" I scolded as I saw them appear right in front if me. I threw a book at them, which they dodged with ease. I growled. "What in the devil were you thinking? I could've gotten hurt!"

"Brilliant, isn't it?" One of them said. He sat down next to me, as the other filled the spot on my other side. They patted my back until I stopped coughing.

"We made it this summer, with loads of other stuff," The one on my right said.

"-But we were only able to sneak this one in, since our mother confiscated most of the rest."

"It's a shame, really. We was looking forward to testing them on the first years, weren't we, Georgie?" Fred said. I glared at the both of them

"No, you weren't! I'm not going to let you." I said with a bit of air. The both of them rolled their eyes.

"She's starting to sound like Percy!"

"We'd better get those books of yours, eh?" George tipped his wand on my nose. I sneered at both of them as red sparks fizzed.

"No. Don't you dare. I need those books for this next term!" I said as I stood up, and protectively put my books back into my trunk.

"Awh, c'mon Verity, don't be such a prick! We were just messing around." I smiled at both of them, laughing as they gave me puppy eyes.

"Come here, you two. I've missed you this whole summer!" I hugged them both and kissed their cheeks. They practically had to bend their knees for me to hug them.

"Why are you so short? You're a metamorphmagus, you can change it!"

"Because I like my height." I twirled and sat down between them. "Have either of you seen Oliver, lately?" They both shook their heads. I sighed, and took a better look at them.

"Puberty did you two good!" I chuckled. They stared at me confused.

"What?" They asked together. I turned a bright shade of red.

"I-I mean, you two have grown?" I laughed, embarrassed. The compartment door slid open.

"Oliver!" I ran and embraced him. I kissed his cheek before cupping his face to get a better look at him. Puberty sure has done _him_ good too. I bit my lip, and hugged him again.

"Verity! Wow, look at you! It seems you've grown a mile!" Oliver exclaimed. I giggled as I stepped back.

"Yeah, a mile from when she was the height of an ant." The twins mumbled in unison. I gave them a glare, and sat down next to them. Oliver took the seat opposite.

"So how have your guys' summers been?" He asked eagerly. George opened his mouth to reply, but Oliver shot up before he could say anything.

"OH! I just remembered, I have to talk to the team about the Quidditch plans! Wait here!" Oliver rushed out of the compartment. Fred and George began snickering.

"Never get to spend anytime with Oliver anymore." I muttered under my breath as I folded my arms crossly.

"Are you just mad because you're _oh-so _in love with him?" Fred laughed. I jabbed him with my elbow.

"You're terrible. And no. Even _if_ I did like him, he wouldn't like me back." I said gloomily.

"And why is that?" They both asked.

"Because he only likes skinny blonde girls who play loads and loads of Quidditch." The twins stared at me like I was stupid.

"Verity, you're a _metamorphmagus_!"

"-And you're skinny! You're like a stick… with boobs and all…" Fred scratched the back of his head. I stared at him.

"What?"

"Verity, what Fred means to say," George cleared his throat. "Is that you can be that 'skinny, blonde girl' that Oliver likes. Easily." I sighed.

"I know that. But I like being _me._ The way _I _put myself together. And who said _anything_ about me liking Oliver! What a load of rubbish!" I scoffed. The twins raised their eyebrows.

"Well, when he's not talking about Quidditch, he's talking about… you." George growled.

Wait, _growled_? That isn't like him…

"Oh, you're kidding me. He cares about me as much as he cares about a brick." Fred brushed my hair.

"Oh, honey, don't compliment yourself. He doesn't care that much." I glared at him.

"Thanks, Fred. That sure makes me feel good."

"Wait, I didn't-"

"Okay, guys! All in here!" Oliver swung the door open, and herded the rest of the Gryffindor team into the compartment. I rolled my eyes, and sighed. George rubbed my back.

"Alright, so I couldn't find Harry, I think he's staying in the very last compartment, and I _way_ too lazy to walk all the way back there." Oliver stood in the center of the compartment.

"Oliver, why can't this wait?" Alicia asked. Angelina nodded, and Katie yawned.

"Pfft, Alicia! Don't give that tone of sass!" Fred and George jeered.

"Yeah, Oliver doesn't appreciate it!" I rolled my eyes and laughed. Oliver turned a slight shade of mauve.

"C'mon, Oliver, really? I mean the whole team isn't even here. We're missing Harry." Angelina said. Oliver held up his finger.

"I know, I know, but we need to win the House cup this year!" Oliver stomped down his foot. I rolled my eyes. Oliver's on one of his Quidditch rampages again. And nobody wanted to hear it. As usual.

"Oliver," I stood up, and touched his arm. "Why don't you tell this to them later? Surely they have other things to do." I tried to say seductively. To myself, I sounded like a constipated cat trying to hiss.

Oliver gulped, and looked me up and down. I held his cheek in my hand, and raised my eyebrows. "Hmm? How about it?" I drawled and bit my lip. I felt the others gawk at me and Oliver.

"Y-yeah. Sure. Uhm, y-you guys can leave for a bit." I rubbed his arm up and down and played with his fingers until I heard everyone shuffle out the door. Once the compartment door shut, I sighed, and went to sit down.

Whew, at least I saved everyone else from the first Quidditch talk of the year.

"What was that? I thought, I-I thought we were going to-" Oliver exclaimed in shock. I grinned at him deviously.

"Oliver, did you really want the team to hate you?"

"No, but I thought doing this would make us better!"

"The ride to Hogwarts is for fun, not for speeches on Quidditch tactics." I reasoned.

"But-but!" I laughed and shook my head.

"Fred! George!" I sang. "Come back in here!" The twins came inside, looking disappointed. I raised one of my eyebrows at them. They began to smirk as they looked at Oliver, his mouth agape. I chuckled at how silly he looked.

"What, were you expecting _more_, Oliver?" Fred and George snickered. I went over to him, and practically pried his jaw from the floor. Oliver was now turning a very lovely shade of thick pink. Steam started to pour out of his ears… I covered my face to protect myself from his outburst.

"_Verity!_" Oliver shook me by my shoulders. "You don't just go seducingguys like it's nothing! Imagine if they felt something for you? What-what if they _try_ something on you!"

"I knew you wouldn't…" I said, muffled into my hands. I peaked at him through the spaces between my fingers. He practically looked like a Chinese fireball dragon, steam was literally bursting from his nose.

"_I_ may not, but what about Marcus Flint, and those Slytherins? You told me that some of them come over for dinner during the summer, what if they _try_ something on you? I don't want anything bad to happen to you!" Oliver was on a rage. He was pacing around the room, throwing his hands up.

"Cool down, Oliver. You're acting like a hormonal teenager girl on a rampage." Fred said.

"And besides, you shouldn't worry about if she can't handle Flint."

"- She's already tried it." Fred and George shared a sly smile. I sneered at both of them. They weren't supposed to tell Oliver that!

"WHAT? _Flint_? The guy two looks like he's part _troll_?" Oliver roared, flailing his arms upward.

"Oliver, it's not what you think! He's actually human! With a very slight part of Veela! And he got his teeth fixed!"

_Wait, _what the hell was I saying? I shook my head.

"Uhm, what I mean, is that he was over at my house for dinner, since my father wanted us to hit it off, or something, and Marcus kept on trying to push on me. So, I did what I could, and then just, sort-of, locked him in the spare house-room thing…" I laughed nervously. I didn't even convince myself that I didn't do anything with Marcus… and I _knew_ I didn't.

"How did you lock him in there?"

"Well, I guess I sauntered into there, with him on my tail, practically… and then locked myself in the bathroom, and climbed out the window. It was easy enough." I shrugged. The twins slung both their arms around my shoulders.

"And this is why we love you so much, Verity. Not only do you help me with our homework-"

"I basically do your homework!" I tried correcting. They just waved it off.

"-She's cunning,"

"-smart,"

"-and funny!" Both of the twins kissed my cheeks. I turned a beet-red. And so did Oliver, by the looks of it. Well, I couldn't exactly tell if he got any redder from rage or embarrassment. _If_ he could become any deeper shade of red. He already looked like a tomato.

Oliver narrowed his eyes, and I gave a giant, forced, awkward smile. It looked like he was about to go purple. Who knew that he could be so upset over something that _wasn't _Quidditch?

"Who else?" I opened my mouth and closed it, gulping.

"Well…"

"_Who else?"_ Oliver demanded. I stared him, astounded that he'd be so concerned.

"Now he's just being a _jealous_, hormonal teenage girl," Fred whispered in my ear. I glared at him.

"Not helping!" I hissed. He grinned and kissed the top of my forehead.

"Just trying to release the _ten_-sion!" he drawled. I rolled my eyes.

"You mean who else I locked in the guest house? Draco Malfoy, Adrian Pucey, Bole, Warrington…"

"The list goes on and on!" George laughed. I poked him with my wand. "Ow!"

"Are they all Slytherins?" Oliver asked. I nodded, and sighed.

"Well, I mean, there were some I wasn't mean to. Like Terence Higgs, and Miles Bletchley. They were actual gentlemen, and sort of sweet." I said timidly. "I actually had some conversations with them." I rubbed my temple. Oliver began going tomato red again.

"-But! There's nothing between us, I promise! Oliver, I'm telling the truth. I have nothing with no one!" I said quickly, hoping that he won't burst. He heaved a big sigh, and sat down.

"Fine. I believe you." He said with edge. I took in a long awaited breath.

Even if Oliver was extremely mad now, he'll get over it by the time the train stopped at Hogwarts. His rampages didn't last too long, but his grudges go on for a lifetime. Well, if you're not his friend.

I remember when Flint stole the Quidditch field… Oliver was furious, and blamed everything bad on Flint for a month. But then again, Flint _was_ and still _is _the Slytherin Quidditch Captain….

I sat down next to George, and rolled my head onto his shoulder. I hugged his neck and made myself comfortable before flowing into a dream. He smiled a little bit, and wrapped his arms around me.

Oliver's rage frenzies took all the energy out of my for the day, all the time. I looked at all of the boys' faces as the compartment turned into it's calm lull of Fred messing around with jokes, and Oliver talking about Quidditch games he went to over the summer. George just rubbed my back as I drifted more and more into sleep.

"G'night." I mumbled, even if it just turning into the afternoon.

"Night, Verity." They all said, used to me falling asleep on the train, and went on with their conversations as the train made it's fast paced way over to Hogwarts.

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><p><strong>I know the ending isn't very fulfilling, but I'll make it up in the next chapter? Haha<strong>

**I hope you guy's have a fantastic day (:**


	3. Dreams and Reality

_I walked into the kitchen, after reading my potions book for the upcoming school year. I believed that reading the textbooks before school started would do me good, and so far, it was. I was top of my class, and sorely wondered by many _why_ I wasn't put in Ravenclaw. Gryffindor was my choice, which has greatly influenced the Sorting Hat, and he worked into my favor. I knew I wasn't the first "brainy" kid put into Gryffindor, Dumbledore and many more wonderful wizards and witches have been put in the same house I was._

_As off topic as that little thing was, the whole reason why I took the trek to my kitchen wasn't to get food, it was to find my mother. She spent most of her time in the kitchen (sexist I know, with the banter of "_Women belong in the kitchen_" thing going amongst teenage boys lately). There was a single potion I was rather curious about, and her being a Ravenclaw during her years at Hogwarts, I was sure she knew about this particular potion._

_I stood in front of her, nervously rubbing my potions book. I waited for her to lower her book before asking her a question though._

"_Mumma?" I asked timidly. She smiled at me while sitting up._

"_Yes, dear?" She said with warmth. My mom was always bringing comfort everywhere she went. If she wasn't here, it felt as if the mansion was as cold as ice. Blame my father for that. He's as slithery as a Slytherin can get. A Pure-Blood maniac, and hierarchy obsessed. Money and position meant everything to him; how my mother fell in love with him is beyond me. I guess his charm and good looks got to her._

"_What's so special about Amortentia?" My mother turned a light pink, and laughed._

"_Honey, it's the most powerful love potion in the world! Why in the world do you have any interest in it?"_

"_It's in my book. It says if someone was conceived under it, and it says they don't have the ability to love. Is that true?" She eyed my book, and then back to me._

"_If the book says it is, then it is." She said. She was always one to go _straight_ by the book. I nodded, and turned away. "Wait- dear." _

_I turned around again. "Yeah, mum?" She stood up and set her book down on the chair she was sitting in. She straightened herself- brushing her hand through her hair, and waving dust away from her clothes. If it weren't for my brother asking for food, my dad cracking jokes and dancing with her, or me asking questions which require her showing, I'd bet she could sit in that chair of hers for an eternity, and collect dust while reading books._

"_Do you know that it gives three scents that only you can distinct?"_

"_Well, it does say it here in the book." I pointed at the section. I tilted my head. "Why? What did you smell?" My mother gave a small, modest smile._

"_I smelled the forest, new ink, and… your father's clothes' scent." She chuckled. "Did you know he was the best looking of his year? It was a complete shock to me when he said he liked me, when I was a fifth year. Of course, he was a seventh year…" She started walking to a cupboard. "Did you want to see what you'd smell?"_

_I smiled, and nodded. "Sure. But how do you even have the potion?"_

"_Well, a while ago, a friend of mine was kidding with me. Said that I need a love potion to keep your father in love with me. I think you know her, she wrote your first year's potion book! Miranda Goshawk." My mother laughed quietly to herself. "She sent me this, as a joke, but I've never used it. Maybe planned to give it to your brother, if he couldn't find a girl to date. Your father's given up on trying to find a pure-blood girl to marry him. All of his focus is on you." She and I rolled our eyes at the same time._

"_Of course, I'm kidding about giving it to your brother, but here, you can smell it, let's see what your three scents are." My mother took out a slim red vile, and popped the lid open. Baby pink mist spiraled out of the bottle._

"_I-I smell… the library?" My mother nodded for me to go on. "And the scent of a nice warm, sunny day on the country side, and-"_

"Verity! Wake up! Hurry, wake up!" George shook me awake. I rubbed my eyes, a little bit upset from being shaken from my dream.

"What?" I growled, looking at him, Fred, and Oliver. A look of pure terror had been etched on their faces. The compartment began getting colder, and colder by the second. I looked out the window; the train had stopped moving.

"Are we there?" I still got no response from any of them. A cracking sound started, and I looked at the door. It began to get covered in a thin sheet of ice. I began to feel sad, despair, as if I'll never be happy again. I gasped and cowered into George.

_Dementors_ were on this train. I looked frantically around for my wand. I thought I would never feel this feeling again. I couldn't relive these moments the Dementors were going to leave me with if they stayed on this train.

"Oliver! _Oliver!_" I hissed. He looked at me, confused and terrified. His eyes were wide opened, and it looked as if all the cheerful life was sucked out of him. He was far ahead of me with spells, surely he could produce a Patronus. I can't produce one if I try only once.

"Oliver, make a Patronus!" I whispered hastily. He continued to stare at me. "_Oliver! _Make a Patronus, _now!" _It seemed that Oliver finally snapped out of his daze as the memory I so desperately wanted to forget began flooding into my mind.

"_Wes, I don't think going into the woods is such a good idea." My oldest brother smiled at me. His brown hair flipped over his eyes as his teeth gleamed white._

"_Don't worry, Verity. There's nothing in here." He said reassuringly. We walked deeper into the woods. A full moon beamed brightly through the trees…_

"OLIVER! Make one! Now!" I saw a ghastly hand reach for the handle. Fred and George stared at us, sorrow brimming their faces.

"I-I can't! I never learned!" I looked at him in disbelief. No, _no_, this can't be happening. Even if we had completely sucky DADA teachers for the past few years, I'd have thought he learned how to make a Patronus anyway. He's far old enough anyway. The memory began to invade my mind.

_I grabbed Wesley's hand as we ventured further into the enchanted forest behind our backyard. A rustling in the leaves echoed all around us. I tightened my grip._

"_What was that?" I asked him._

"_Nothing. There's no reason to be scared." There was a long, distant howl right after he spoke._

"_How about that? That was something!" I said. I saw that Wes had gotten scared too._

"_I-I don't know." I felt shivers run down my spine as another howl sounded. It was closer, the leaves crunched under weight. It wasn't mine or Wesley's, we were standing still. The leaves rustled again, and a dark animal ran across us, leaving a cold breeze. _

"_Wesley! What are we going to do? That isn't anything ordinary!" I tugged at his arm. He was frozen to the spot. I heard the animal's breathing and a snarl; it was circling us. I could smell it… it smelled, almost human._

I shook myself out of it, and stood up with a thick grip on my wand. The dementor must be looking for something, it was now opening the door. I held in my breath as a cold, icy mist developed the compartment.

"_Expecto Patronum!" _I said strongly, remembering my family - whole, alive, and normal. We were all happy and youthful, laughing as we were gathered around the dining table. The happiness I longed for again.

A silvery wolf emitted from my wand, and fended the dementor away from the opening of the compartment. Finally the dementor cleared, and my wolf wisped away. All the energy had been sucked out of me, and I slumped down next to Oliver. This is the worst I've felt all year, but on the inside, I was giddy with pride. I finally made a _real _Patronus, not some feeble little shield. Who knew it would be a wolf? Well, I guess that has some relevance, concerning my family…

"Verity, you didn't tell us you could produce a Patronus? Who taught you?" Fred asked, amazed. I gave him a tired smile.

"My dad did, after he took me with him to… Azkaban." I shuddered. "It was some 'Ministry' business. But even before that, he had been trying to teach my siblings and I for a while, but eventually he gave up."

"Wow. I wonder what ours will be, eh, Fred?" George cracked a smile. It seemed a bit out of place, after all of what the dementor made us feel. But if anyone could bring back the joke-y, happy, and fun aura back, even after something so grim, it would be the twins. That's what they were best at.

"I don't know… Maybe a _weasel?_ Eh? Get it, George? A _weasel?_" I laughed at Fred's sarcastic enthusiasm. Oliver rolled his eyes with a chuckle. George hit his twin for such a lame joke.

I stood up as I saw the familiar landscape that meant we were getting closer and closer to Hogsmeade. "C'mon you guys, let's change into our robes. We're nearly there." I said, and grabbed my trunk. As I was getting my robes and uniform out, I saw that all three of them were wearing a smirk with their eyebrows raised.

"Oh, _really_? No. All of you guys are going _out_, while I _change!_" I began pushing them out of the compartment.

"Verity! C'mon! We've know you for nearly four years! You should be comfortable with us already!" Oliver whined.

"Yeah, we practically know your all of your underwear drawer!" The twins both said.

"_What?_" I held the twins tightly by their shirt collars. I glared at them. They did not invade that much of my privacy!

"I particularly like that lacy, black one." Fred licked in my ear. My eyes slipped wide out. _Those_ were for certain eyes only! My hair turned a thick red.

"Alright! Everyone, _OUT!"_ I yelled, and threw them all out of the compartment. I snapped the blinds closed.

The _nerve_ they had to look in my private clothes! There's a reason why they're called _underwear! _They aren't supposed to be seen! They go _under _the clothes you _wear._ Completely concealed. Unless, well, you're like that muggle actress… Lindsay Lohan, is it? She's got absolutely no sense at all! Flaunting those things as if they were _supposed_ to be seen! Absolutely revolting!

"Aw, Verity, _really?_ Do you have to stay in here while we change?" Oliver asked, embarrassed after taking off his shirt. I folded my arms, staying planted were I was with a smirk.

"Oliver, _c'mon_. We've known each other for nearly _four_ years! You _should_ be comfortable with me already." I mocked the words he said earlier. I saw him mentally curse himself. Served him right.

"Fine… But can you just-"

"Oh! Oliver look. The _twins_ are already dressed, they have absolutely no problem with dressing in front of _me_." I pointed out. I had to cover my mouth to keep from bursting out in laughter. The twins started to laugh. Oliver glared at all three of us, and mumbled under his breath as he took off his pants.

"You guys are absurd." Oliver hastily threw on the rest of his clothes.

"Hm, what did you say?"

"You are absurd!"

"That's absurd!" The twins and I cried, laughing. (Sorry, starkid reference!)

* * *

><p>I entered my dorm after a long feast with the twins. I was the only one in the room, but not the first. Most of the girls decorated their sections, and went down into the common room to catch up. I had dons all the "catching-up" I could handle. Talking enthusiastically as I was to everyone completely drained me. I was as tired as a lazy sloth. I'm such a baby, I always end up sleeping every few hours; how I manage a full day of school is <em>way<em> out of my knowledge.

I looked at all the girl's decorations around their beds. Alicia's and Angelina's were similar, they were mostly photos of their family and friends. Lynette's corner was tinted blue, seashells, and small wind chimes were scattered about her desk and bed.

And Caroline's, _Oh Merlin! _Her decorations were so vain. Pink was strewn everywhere, posters of her were hung all around her bed. Her stupid face modeling for a wizard acne treatment. Her stupid, _perfect, _flawless face. The only thing that was different was a poster of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. I walked closer to see that it only focused on Oliver, everyone else was a blur. I squinted at Oliver, bright and smiling, and he winked back. I rolled my eyes, and went to my bed, and began to decorate it as well.

I waved my wand to envelope my bed posts in faded, white flowers. I took my books out, and set them neatly on my bed table. I put a small bunch of Baby's Breath in a glass of water I conjured up. I smiled smugly, and set out to get ready for bed.

I sat comfortably in my bed, reading my book. I kept my sweater under my pillow if it got cold, I was only wearing some flannel pants and a tank top. A rumbling came from my pile of books, and I looked over at _The Monster Book of Monsters_. The book was trying to get its way out of the thick leather strap I tied onto it during the summer.

"Oh shuttup." I told it. It growled at me, and I narrowed my eyes. I swear, it was giving me a stink eye. I picked the animate book, and shoved it in the small table's drawer. After I closed it, the whole table began to shave.

"That's it. I had enough of this, you little bugger!" I quickly grabbed the glass of flowers to keep it from falling, and whipped the drawer open. The book tried biting at my fingers. "No!" I pointed my wand at it.

"_Immobulus!" _The book stopped moving. "Now, that's more like it." I chuckled, and grabbed my reading book again. _I'm so _clever, I thought in my mind, amusing myself. There was a knock on the door.

"I'm not changing, you can come in!" I said. Usually nobody knocks on the door, but I figured it would be a younger year asking for help. What a surprise when it wasn't.

"Hiya Verity! Why are you already ready for bed? And _reading?_" Oliver trooped in with the twins following suit.

"Ew, she's reading a book? What a book worm!" The twins joked. I smiled and rolled my eyes. I sat up as they gathered around my bed.

"You guys aren't supposed to be in here!" I said crossly, putting down my book.

"Gosh, what's with your decorations! They're so _girly_." Fred said, toying with my flowers. I frowned. I thought they were rather regular, sweet. Not _girly_.

"Well, here's some to add. _Orchideous._" George and Oliver handed me a bouquet of flowers from their wands. I took them, and smiled. Fred rolled his eyes.

"Awh, you guys are too sweet." I said blushing. I set the flowers by my books. "So what is everyone talking about in the common room?"

"Sirius Black. He's on the loose, and all the girls are scared to death." Oliver replied. I nodded, remembering an article about his escape from Azkaban. I could only hope the Dementors made him crazy enough to loose his way around. Maybe if he was mentally scarred, he won't be killing anymore people. Or find the right path, instead of to _You-Know-Who_.

"It's sort of funny, really. If you pretend he's there, they all start to scream." Fred laughed. I gasped and threw my pillow at him.

"Fred! That's mean!" He caught my pillow, and threw it back at me. With my complete lack of coordination, it hit me straight in the face. I glared at him.

"You're terrible." I grumbled. He just beamed at me, and I sneered at him. The other two were looking around at the dormitory.

"Look at this! Caroline has a poster of us!" George pointed at the Quidditch poster. I laughed. Oliver was exchanging smiles and winks with himself.

"Well, more particularly Oliver. I'm guessing she has a crush on him. I remember I over heard her talking to Madeline, something about 'my beloved Oliver'." Oliver made a face, and backed away from the poster.

"_Caroline?_" He asked, a little revolted. None of us seemed to like her, she was conceited, and loud.

"'_Beloved Oliver'_?" He scoffed. " Beloved my _ass_."


	4. Promises and Swine

Angelina and Alicia stared at the twins and Oliver as they playfully marched out of the dorm, and then gave me an amused look. I glared at the door as it magically shut after the twins. I returned to the spells I was practicing before the three boys incoherently interrupted me. The two girls giggled as the returned to their beds, staring at me waving my wand around with distinguished smiles.

"What?" I snapped. They giggled even more, and I hastily snapped my book closed. Lynette entered the room, and shortly after, Caroline did also.

"You were with the twins and Oliver in here!" Alicia trilled. I frowned at them, and stood up.

Lynette whipped her head around. "Verity! You know that boys aren't allowed in here!" She said sternly. I stared at her scarlet and gold prefect badge.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. But I didn't exactly let them in, they just sort of _barged_…" I mumbled. "There's no way I can get rid of them."

"Verity, why is it that when you're with them, you're all goody best friends, but individually, the two of you act like you're _dating_ or something?" Angelina asked.

"I don't know what you're getting at." I said, rummaging through my trunk for some more books.

"You know perfectly well! Like with the whole group, you guys are all 'friend' level. And then, say, if you're with Oliver alone, you guys act like you're dating. And same goes for George." Alicia said. I smudged my lips to the side, and thought.

"Not Fred though. I wonder why." Angelina noted. I shrugged.

"Well, I guess with each of them, individually, we have a bit more… privacy? And get to connect in a more personalized level? Oh, and Fred seems to be the less… emotional one, if you say. So, he wouldn't show it, not as much, I don't think."

"Why is everything such a question to you, huh, Verity? I mean, _honestly_, give at least one sentence with substance." Caroline drawled. I glared at her porcelain face, and silvery blonde hair. I tried to collectively compose myself to prevent from snapping at her.

I sighed, and ignored her remarks, and stood up with a new bottle of ink. Not exactly what I was looking for, but it would be enough for me to stop kneeling on the ground, head first inside this endless trunk. I chuckled at the memory of it, which had me meet Fred, George, and Oliver.

Angelina and Alicia were now babbling on about how their lives went on for the summer, Lynette was calmly shining her badge, and organizing things on her desk, and Caroline was fixing her hair in a hand mirror that trawled, "Oh, you look absolutely _dashing_, honey!". It look all the will I had not to grab that mirror and throw it out the window.

Caroline was now smacking her lips into the mirror, which was giving a long, high pitched laugh. "You know, I do think Oliver and _you_," She said the 'you' with complete distaste, "will stop having those 'private, and personal talks' this year. Or maybe this next week?" She cackled.

I glared at her. "And why is that, dear Caroline?" I spat with poison. The other three girls were staring at the both of us with wide eyes.

"Well, for one, why wouldn't he? I mean, seeing as he _clearly_ has me as an option over you." She laughed. I rolled my eyes.

"Seeing as his eyes _aren't_ damaged, nor is his mind, or heart, I'm glad to say that he doesn't see_ you_ as an option. Nor will he ever." I retorted coldly. She narrowed her eyes with a sneer. A good blast of the wand would do her good. Get some boils on that _perfect_ face.

"You're just a jealous little _git!_" She screeched. Such an over-reactor, she is.

"No," I said. "I completely believe that you are." Caroline practically slipped off her bed. Not once, has perfect, pretty, little Caroline been talked back to. Gosh, what would I give to just dunk her face in the toilet and give her a 'swirlie'.

"I am most certainly _not_ a git!" She stood up stubbornly with a death grip on her wand.

"That's what you think, you insolent, annoying little prat!" I said in the worst tone possible, and giving her the worst glare I could. My eyes turned a blood red as did my hair. The three other girls now rushed to each other, trying to figure out what to do. When my eyes, _and_ my hair were both red, well… let's just say nothing's going to turn out good.

"STOP it!" Angelina, Alicia, and Lynette yelled. "_Both _of you!"

"Well, _Verity _started it!" Caroline protested, pointing at me.

"_No, _I didn't!" I growled.

"STOP! I don't care! I don't want the whole room to get in trouble!" Lynette yelled. She did, though, give me a knowing look that clearly said Caroline started it. She got fed up, and when Lynette gets upset, she works to get it cleared.

"Fine." Caroline said, and flaunted down onto her bed. I rolled my eyes, and covered my mouth.

_Deep breaths, Verity. Deep breaths._ I told myself as I walked over to my night stand. I plucked a flower from one of the bouquets, I think it was Oliver's, and made it shrivel up, and bloom again. I watched it as it turned a singed brown, and then to it's original gleaming white as I caught my breath.

_Caroline's a mind turner. She insults and brags, just so she can feel better, _I told myself as I sat quietly onto my bed, picking up my unfinished book. _There's no reason to get worked up over what she says. Who cares if she tries after Oliver? It's not like he likes her or anything. _

A sudden dread covered my face. What if he really did have something for her? What if all he said earlier was just a set up? What if they shared something over the summer, and didn't tell me? My eyes turned a sodden blue, and my hair midnight black at the possibility. _What if I just yelled at his -_ I gulped at the word - _girlfriend?_

"Ver, are you okay? You look like you just swallowed a misery stone." Lynette called over with concern.

I shook my head. "Yeah, Lyn. I'm absolutely fine. Grand, even." I stuffed my face into the book I was reading. I couldn't read though, my mind kept on wandering over to Oliver and Caroline, or maybe Fred and Angelina - not that I had a problem with that, I was, in all, if that happened, absolutely delighted- or George with… who would _George_ be paired with? I mean, I could see myself, but I haven't exactly see any - _no_, _Verity, there is to be no thinking of boys! It is the school year you take your OWLs, you are to have no sense of dating boys this year! Maybe next year, but now? Absolutely not!_ I stopped myself indignantly of thinking about having a relationship with any of my three best friends.

I mean, not like they'd like me back anyway, I fully doubt that they would in any situation they were in. Even if I were to be stuck alone with one of them, the only two survivors in the world, I'd bet they'd try and find a cockroach before being romantically involved with me. Even if I could change myself into the sexiest model there is, I'm guessing my personality is just lacking the 'sex appeal' that they ran for.

Once the light was turned out, and I heard everyone's paced breathing, I marked my page in the book with the flower I plucked, and set it down. I hadn't actually gotten anywhere, I just kept on reading the same sentence over and over, as my thoughts over took my mind. So, I deemed that reading was useless in trying to ease my mind, I had given up on the book, and hugged my pillow. I breathed slowly as I let my thoughts lull me to sleep…

I glared at everything in sight as I sat down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall for breakfast. The twins kept on shoveling food down their mouths, and Oliver read the Daily Prophet with pursed lips.

"What's with you, Verity?" George asked, tilting his head to the side as he observed me angrily staring at our schedule for the semester.

"Oliver's got himself a right charmer tailing on his ass." I growled, waving away a bit of toast Fred was offering me. The twins snorted in their laughs as Oliver stared at me shocked.

"Verity! You're language…" he sputtered. I rolled my eyes as I snatched the animated newspaper from him.

"Like you haven't said a couple of nasty words on the pitch." I got a "oohs" from the twins. Oliver had a murderous cloud cast over him, but it passed in a second when he finally saw how upset I was.

"Ver, I'm sorry that Caroline isn't being the best to you, but you don't have any reason to lash out on us for that. I'll deal with her when the moment's possible." He rubbed my back. I set down the newspaper, and stared at the table.

"Do you like her? Did you have anything with her?" I asked quietly. Oliver's face slipped into a sympathetic smile.

"With the way she is? Absolutely not. She's just another piece of hell that I have to deal with." I felt my lip twitch at the corner, but then pretended to be interested in the Daily Prophet I had set down.

I rolled my eyes. "Another piece of hell?" I laughed. Oliver shrugged.

"Well, you know, with all those girls on my tail, that like me because of my charming good looks, and dashing personality." I snorted a laugh, and the twins snickered.

"Dream on." All three of us said, and laughed.

"Fine, whatever. Say what you want." Oliver grumbled. "Anyway, your owl came by. It dropped this off on the table." He handed me a square parcel.

"What is it?" I asked, twisting it around. They all shrugged.

"We were waiting for you to say." The twins said together. I raised my eyebrows and bit my lip as I undid the strings. The paper fell gracefully down, revealing a small black velvet jewelry box. I stared at it in shock. The boys just stared at me, before Fred began to rummage in his pocket.

"Oh, right. This came too." Fred handed me a letter as I picked up the little box. I glanced at the letter and scowled. Of course, my father sent this to me. Who else would?

"Verity, what's wrong?" George asked. I shook my head, grinding my teeth. I tried everything I had to keep my eyes from turning blue.

I finished the rest of my toast while I shoved the box and letter into my bag. I gave Oliver back his paper, and picked up my schedule. I stood up quickly, and adjusted my bag.

"I'll see you guys in Transfiguration. I'll see you at lunch, Oliver." I started to walk away, but then rushed back to give them all kisses on the cheeks. That was part of my daily routine, if I didn't do that, then I'd feel weird all day.

As I walked the hallway back to the common room - I still had thirty minutes before classes started - I took the letter out, glaring at my father's print. I took a heavy breath, preparing myself for what was written.

I opened my eyes slowly, biting my lip, preparing for the worst.

_Dearest Verity,_

_How are you enjoying your first day at Hogwarts? It is a wonderful school to learn witchcraft, and I am so glad that I have the opportunity to send you there. _

_Things are going fantastic back at home. The ministry has given me a break, and your mother and I are planning to take a trip to Fiji. What a wonderful way to spend a vacation, don't you think? I wish I were able to bring you and your brothers with us, but seeing as you and Will are at Hogwarts, and Wesley is in the state he is, that isn't much of an option, sadly to say._

_Your older brother is doing rather well. As you remember, he has to be taken to the hospital occasionally, but he is improving greatly from before. You're mother has perfected the potions to keep him sane, in his condition. We have finally found a safe place for him to undergo his changes when the time comes. He is dearly missing you, as he always is whenever you go to Hogwarts. He often asks about you, might I say. I suggest you write more letters to him this year than last. Apparently, one letter a week isn't enough to suffice for him. Perhaps three will do._

_The reason why I wrote this letter, is because I have had the absolute delight and pleasure of having a talk with Mr. Hydrus Higgs. He and I have agreed to a marriage between you and his son, Terence, when you become of age. I believe that you two, have, in fact, come to good terms with the times you have spent together. Terence is a wonderful man, who is bright and cunning. As I am sure you know, he is of age, and in his last year in Hogwarts. _

_As you do still have two more years of learning to finish, and aren't of age, it is not permitted that Terence's and your wedding shall go on next summer. Though it will not happen for a while, I still advise you to stay true to him. Infidelity will not be accepted from my daughter._

_I have enclosed a promise ring for you to wear, until the time of your wedding shall come. Terence shall be receiving news about this shortly after, and will also be wearing a ring._

_Remember that I always love you, Verity, and only want the best for you._

_With love,_

_Your Father_

I stared at the letter with disdain. How could he do this to me? How could he be so heartless? I didn't have any say in this arranged marriage! How could my _mother_ accept this? He didn't have to go through an arranged marriage with my mother! He got to marry who ever the merry hell he wanted!

I slid down the wall with a small cry. This was _worse_ than the worst! What am I supposed to do? I had no type of emotions for Higgs, he slandered around with Flint and Pucey! As nice and charming as he is, I never saw myself in a future with _him! _I had thought maybe I'd have my future with one of the twins… or Oliver…

I hit my head back against the wall, and closed my eyes. I slipped the letter up to cover my face as I tried to fight through a slight panic attack. My hair turned pin black, and my eyes the darkest blue. My shoulders shook as tears streaked down my cheeks.

"Verity! There you are." I heard one of the twins say. I quickly turned my hair brown, and my eyes violet. I discreetly wiped my eyes and face as I stood up.

"Uhm, yeah. Sorry." I said, looking down, putting the letter in my bag, and talking out the small jewelry box.

"What's wrong? You usually don't just walk out on us like that." George said, and wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Oh, it's nothing." I lied. "My brother just had a tough night, and my father sent me a ring. That's all." I opened the small box to reveal a thin silver band decorated with emeralds. I took a slow breath as I slipped it on my left ring finger, and replaced the box in my bag.

"Pretty, isn't it?" I asked in the perkiest tone I could muster. I held my hand out to examine how it looked. It look absolutely glamorous, but I just wanted to throw it on the ground and crush it to pieces.

"Yeah. But it looks like a Slytherin engagement ring." Fred said with slight distaste, walking slightly behind me. I gulped.

"Oh, yeah, I guess. My father's just a bit fancy that way. And he was from Slytherin." I muttered as we all made our way to McGonagall's classroom.

We were passing an empty classroom as we heard a crash come from inside. Peeve's cackling laugh erupted as another crash came. Fred got an evil look on his face. George and I stared at him.

"You guys wait here, I'm going to mess with Peeves." He said, and slipped into the classroom. I looked around the hall to make sure it was empty.

I peered inside the classroom before closing the door. I ran over to George, and wrapped my arms around his neck. I tiptoed and kissed him firmly on the lips. I closed my eyes as he kissed me back. He slipped his hand to the small of my back, and brought closer to him.

"_Infidelity will not me accepted from my daughter." _My father's voice rang in my mind.

My eyes shot open, and I scrambled away from George. He looked at me confused, but Fred came outside of the empty classroom, with a smug look.

"How about we head to class now, eh?" He said, walking with delight to his step. George and I eyed him, before letting him walk slightly in front of us. We followed suit, and linked arms.

We entered McGonagall's classroom. I sat next to George while Fred took a seat across from us with Lee. I played with the end of my skirt below the table while I tried to listen to the lecture. George intertwined his fingers with mine, and smiled. I nervously turned to him, and shot him a smile back.

Professor McGonagall sat at her desk, dismissing us to read our books. I slipped mine out quickly, only to have the dreaded letter from my father fall onto the desk with it. Before I could react, George took it, and skimmed it.

"Ver, what's this?" He whispered, a stricken look wandering onto his face. I quickly snatched it back, and folded it, protectively putting it back in my bag.

"It's nothing." I whispered hastily as McGonagall looked up from her desk. I slipped open my book and pretended to read as George stared at me.

"It's something. There's a reason why you're wearing that ring. There's a reason why you're acting so strange after receiving it. There's always a reason to how you're behaving. Tell me." He begged. Sincerity brimmed his eyes, and I couldn't look away, no matter how hard I tried. I bit my lip as he tightened his grip on my hand.

"My father…" I said with edge. "has given me away to a marriage with Terence Higgs. I am to wed him when I become of age." George was able to coax anything out of me. I looked at the ring in disgust. It was wretched, no matter how much beauty it contained.

George stared straight ahead. I saw his jaw muscles tense and relax as he chewed over what I said. He let go of my hand, and held the bridge of his nose. I looked away from him, and stared glumly at the desk.

"George, I'm so-"

"No. Don't be. We can get you out of this. We still have two years, right? So that's enough time to get you out of this. I promise." George said quietly, trying to calm me. I put a hand on my mouth to control my intake of air.

"Two years isn't much time at all, actually. It's only two school years, if you really think about it." I said. I closed my eyes to keep calm as George slyly put his arm around my waist, and slid me closer to him.

"I promise that I'm going to keep you safe. And I will get you out of this. Me, Fred, and Oliver can all work for that." He said as we both began to pretend to read our books. McGonagall looked up from her desk, suspicious, but returned, thinking as I wouldn't dare let the twins do anything mischievous while I was so close, and they were separated.

George took my hand on the desk, admiring how our fingers looked together. He leaned in, and whispered in my ear. "I promise."


	5. Spilled Ink and Arguments

**Hey, you guys!**

**I'm really thrilled about this story, and I am absolutely glad that you guys are too! Haha (:**

**Anyway, I just wanted to thank you guys for reading, and giving all of those wonderful reviews. They really seem to motivate me as I trudge on with my day, and finally sit here with my laptop to write some more!**

**Thank you ;)**

For the first few weeks, all three of the boys kept a close watch on me, not daring to leave me alone. I'm assuming George told them, because I never had the nerve to tell anyone else. Any time I was about to talk about the arranged marriage, I began to feel sick, and had to sit down. The whole idea of it haunted me everywhere though.

Quidditch started, and Oliver was starting to push the team harder and harder. Their practices would start early in the morning, and run very well into the night, leaving me alone after classes and many, many weekends. I spent more of my time in the library, catching up on the work I haven't been able to do with the three of them around. The hours were long and grueling, but being me, I always pushed myself through it.

I sat at a concealed table alone at the back of the library, as to not be found or bothered. I had finished my third essay for the day, and swept up my bag to look for my Ancient Runes assignment. I cursed as all of the contents of my bag had just slipped out and scattered around the desk, splattering ink on my essays.

"Good going, Love." I heard a voice say, and looked up to see Marcus, Adrian, and Terence slander over to me. I took a deep breath and rolled my eyes.

"_Tergeo._" I whispered to the soiled parchment. I glared at the three boys now standing in front of my desk. "What do you three want?" I sneered, more particularly at Marcus.

"That isn't anyway to talk to your superiors." Marcus smirked, and my face darkened. Adrian Pucey was eyeing me up and down, and Terence was shifting his weight from each foot, staring at the book shelf.

"Superiors?" I laughed haughtily. "I'd be dead before any of you'd be my superior."

"Well, I suppose you're wrong on that, Love. Two years, and Higgs here will be." Pucey patted Terence on the back, giving me a devilish smile. I sneered at him.

"A lot can happen in two years, Pucey. And if you hadn't noticed, when you're married, the two should be equals." I retorted with a glare.

"The last I heard, most pureblood wives have to _obey_ and _follow_ their husbands." Marcus snarled.

"Well, I'm not like _most pureblood wives._" I growled back at him. Him and Pucey shared amused looks.

"A feisty one you've got here, Higgs." Adrian smacked his shoulder. Terence continued to avoid my eyes, and the conversation. He stood quietly examining the items on my desk.

"Yeah. And a work worm." Flint added, picking up my essays and homework. He studied them all.

"I do believe the phrase is 'book worm', Flint." I tried correcting. Marcus narrowed his eyes, and slammed the papers down on my desk.

He lowered his head, and glared right into my eyes. I kept a straight face, and glared right back. His forehead touched mine. "I'd watch what you say, Love." He said, lowly. I let my gaze soften, and smiled sweetly at him.

I brushed my lips along his jaw line, and finally to his ears. "Marcus," I whispered. I felt a shiver run down his spine. "I'd watch what you do."

I pinched his neck, and pushed him away from me. He yelped, and jumped away. I smirked, and folded my arms.

"Why, you're just a little-" Marcus snarled before Terence put his arm out to stop him. I stared at him in shock.

"Marcus, I think that I'd like some time alone with her." Terence said in a low voice. I felt goose bumps rise on my skin as I heard him talk.

Marcus nodded, grabbing Pucey, and glared at me while walking away. I began to fix the table of my stuff, making space for Terence. He sat down next to me, and placed his work on the table. I watched him loosen his tie, and fold up his sleeves.

"I'm sorry about them. I didn't really want to bother you, but you know how they are." Terence apologized. I shrugged.

"It's fine, I guess. I know how to deal with them already." Terence nodded, and looked at me. I saw that he was wearing a matching ring to mine.

"So, I guess… we're engaged?" Terence softly laughed as he looked at both of our rings. The corner of my lip tugged as I looked at him.

The sun kissed his golden hair, and lightly blessed his light skin. His deep green eyes glimmered between my face and the ring. A slight blush creeped onto his face when he realized that I was looking at him.

"Yeah. Apparently so." I said softly, and took his hand. I compared our two rings, mine, a thin silver circle of two snakes with emerald spotted eyes connected together by a large emerald stone between their mouths, and his, a thick band with a single emerald stone embedded with numerous snakes surrounding it. I bit my lip as I studied the sizes and the designs.

"It's not for a while, though." Terence murmured, trying to ease the nervous look that had crawled onto my face. I sighed and set his hand down, toying with my ring.

"I guess. But with the rings… and you here? It seems so official." I whispered. "Like there's no way to escape it." Terence looked at me confused.

"Escape it?" He muttered, looking at his own ring, glittering in the sun. It matched his clothing perfectly, while mine seemed out of place entirely. I often got odd looks and questions by those who saw it on my hand.

"Well, hadn't you ever thought of marrying someone that you honestly fell in love with? Not someone you had no feelings for?" I asked.

"Not exactly. I mean, we have time. Feelings can grow." Terence looked into my eyes. I blushed, and looked down at my work, organizing it.

"But they might not _grow_ in the way they should. Like what if I don't fall in love with you? What if _you _fall in love with some other girl after you leave school?" I said, and began to translate some runes. Terence frowned as he watched me work.

He put his hand over mine, and made me put down the quill. He placed both of his hands around my face, and made me look at him. His green eyes met my violet ones and I looked at him, shocked, but he looked determined in my eyes.

"And Verity, what if I make you fall in love with me? What if we fall in love together?" Terence asked while his thumbs grazed my cheeks.

My mouth slipped a little bit open, as his gaze into my eyes deepened. He leaned forward, and my eyes fluttered closed as I felt his warm breath on my lips. The contact between him and I sparked, and I felt the ring around my finger tighten.

And then I remembered Oliver. Oliver the boy I had a crush on from when I was an eleven year old, and only to last year. The boy who took me on my first broom ride. The boy who dragged me to the Quidditch field, and gave me my first kiss.

Then George came to my mind. Oh, _George_, the nice loving, caring twin that I've shared multiple kisses with this term already. The one I held hands with at anytime possible in the hallways. The one who tried protecting me from any harm that came. The one who was determined to release me from the misery that this arranged marriage tied me to.

I quickly opened my eyes, and pulled away from the kiss. Terence looked at me confused.

"What's wrong?" The blonde Slytherin asked. I caught my breath as I began to gather all of my materials.

"I-I've got to go, Terence." I sputtered, slinging the bag over my shoulder, and slid out of my seat abruptly. I chewed on my lip as I looked over the table to see if I had left anything. Seeing as nothing belonged to me on the table, I began to hurry out of the library.

"Verity, wait!" Terence stood up and took hold of my wrist. I turned around and looked straight into his eyes.

"Maybe. _Maybe_ you can make me fall in love with you. But not now. Especially not now." I pulled free of his grasp and ran out of the library.

* * *

><p>I snuck into Oliver's dormitory after dinner. I had avoided the three boys after they had come back from Quidditch practice, feeling too guilty to face them… or more particularly George.<p>

Well, really, I couldn't figure out if he liked me entirely, even if we had our few shares of kisses. I've seen him and Fred hang around with other girls recently also, so I knew that I wasn't the only subject of his mind. Figuring out the twins' mind on girls is something that I seemed too dense for, and I hadn't the slightest mind on studying that, since it wasn't, well… a school subject.

But if George wandered around with other girls, then the kiss between Terence and I should mean nothing, right? I mean, George and I weren't exactly _together_, but we only acted that way sometimes.

I shook my head as the door opened. I looked quickly, expecting to see Oliver, but Percy had entered instead. He narrowed his eyes as he saw me sitting on Oliver's bed, fiddling with my wand.

"Miss Love, I do believe that girls are not allowed inside the boys' dormitories." Percy said, grabbing his books. I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"I am aware, Perce." I said, summoning a book from Oliver's trunk.

"Well…?" Percy waited expectantly at the edge of the bed. I lazily flicked a page in the book, and looked at him from the top of my eyes.

"Don't be such a prude, Percy. I'm waiting for Oliver. I need to tell him something."

"Regardless, it is against school rules." I set my book down, and stared at Percy. He was giving me a stern look.

"Percy, I'm the girl who kept your brothers in line when they had a completely horrible idea to play on you. You may have not noticed, but apparently I'm you in girl form. They even say so. I might not have the prefect badge this year, since I've been caught in the middle of their numerous pranks, but I know the rules just as well as you do." I said. "And besides, you've got to trust me. I'm not going to do anything in here. I'm just going to talk to Oliver."

Percy eyed me, chewing on his cheek, determining whether or not he should let me be. He then shrugged and sighed. "Fine. But this is going to be the last time I let you slip by the rules. _The last time_." I smiled cheekily at him.

"Thanks, Perce." He huffed and strolled out of the room.

I continued to read the Quidditch book I had summoned until Oliver came in, mumbling to himself.

"If they try using force, then I can just trick them with brawn! Wait, no, it's brains. Oh well. But then if we're able to fly around the unused areas of the stadium, the parts harder for bigger guys to fly through, then it'd be easier to - _Verity!_ What are you doing here?" Oliver had stopped in his tracks when he saw that I was sitting on his bed. I giggled at his obsessive play-planning.

"I needed to talk to you… but I think you have more important things to think about." I eyed the Puddlemere United poster by his bed. Oliver nodded and began to pull out a quill and paper.

"Oh, okay." He began to scrawl Quidditch plays on a pad of paper. I frowned at him until he realized what happened. "_Oh! _N-no! Sorry, I didn't mean that! This isn't-… well, it _is_ important, _very, very _important-" I rolled my eyes and stood up, playing with him. His eyes widened. "But I can put it aside! Verity, _please_…"

He walked passed me and sat down on his bed. Oliver patted the spot next to him. "Sit." He said, smiling. I laughed, and did so.

"How's Quidditch going?" I asked, crossing my legs. He did also, and we faced each other.

"It's going rather well! I think we're going to win this year." Oliver said with enthusiasm. I smiled half-heartedly as he began to jabber on about the plays he planned over the summer.

I looked out of the water-stained windows as Oliver started talking about tactics that the chasers could use. I toyed with my ring feverishly, think about the kiss with Terence.

"Verity." Oliver laid a hand on my leg. I looked up, pushing my thoughts away.

I smiled as brightly as I could. "Yeah, Ol?" I pretended to act interested in what he was saying. He was probably just calling on me to make sure I was listening to him.

"What's wrong?" He asked sincerely.

"Oh, it's nothing." I answered unconsciously. A skeptical look grew on his face as I realized what I had said.

"That's not true. You didn't come in here to listen to me babble about Quidditch. As much as the idea of that thrills me, I know that there's an actual reason as to why you came in here." Oliver said. "And I know it's important. It's not everyday I find a girl sitting on my bed, who argued her way past Percy Weasley."

He studied my face, and slid a stray piece of hair behind my ear. "_Tell _me, Verity, please. I've known you for four years; we've been _best friends_ for four years. You've got to tell me what's bothering you."

Oliver left his hand on face, his thumb grazing my cheek as I tried to think of how to start, and what to tell him. He began to trace my lips as I pondered on what to say.

I sighed, and closed my eyes. "I kissed Terence Higgs." I said, finally. Oliver pulled his hand away, and stared at me in shock. "Well, rather he kissed me, and I ran off. Like he kissed me, and the first thing I thought of was you. And then George, and then I felt guilty. Because you guys, and Fred, have been trying to keep me from him the entire time, and I just blew it. I kissed him, when I shouldn't have."

Oliver's face grew from shocked, to smiling. He seemed caught up in only a part of what I said.

"You thought of _me_ first, when you were kissing another boy? _Me?_" Oliver laughed gleefully. I stared at him confused.

"I don't get why you're happy. The boy I'm supposed to marry is going to be on my tail until the wedding comes." Oliver's face immediately darkened as I said wedding.

"Besides, what am I supposed to tell George?"

His jaw tensed, and he stared at his Quidditch poster, avoiding my gaze. "George? What do you mean?"

"I mean, well… I'm not sure if he likes me or not, but we have kissed a few times, and hold hands a lot." I said, staring out the window. "But he hasn't tried to ask me to be his girlfriend, so I haven't got a clue. Plus, he did go around with some other girls with Fred recently."

"Do you like him?" Oliver asked, looking at me. I felt his gaze bore into me as I looked at the lake shimmer in the moonlight. I shrugged.

"I honestly tried to avoid boys this year. It hasn't really worked, considering. But I'm not going to like anyone right now. I don't want to get my hopes up." A breeze brushed over me from the open window. I shivered, and looked down at the beddings.

"Hopes up?"

"Saying that I did fall in love with somebody, and they loved me back, but then the wedding comes up. It'll ruin everything. I can't marry the person I love, I'll have to marry the person my father chose for me. I'm not going to be happy, and I'll just break the other person's heart." I tried explaining solemnly.

I felt Oliver's hand under my chin, and he tipped my head up, so that I was looking at him. "Ver, I promised, along with the twins, that we're going to get you out of that wedding if you don't want it. And we're keeping that promise."

"What if you can't?" I asked, biting my lip. Oliver gave me a sympathetic smile.

"I'm not going to let that happen." He pulled me into a hug.

"I'm just really scared. I'm not going to be able to grow up before I have to be sent away to be a wife." I whispered into his chest. He held my tighter.

"Don't be. I'm always going to be here to make sure everything goes right." He kissed the top of my head, and stroked my hair. I sighed, and cuddled closer into Oliver's chest.

"Ol?" I felt his heart beat pick up. I looked at his face. He was smiling modestly at me.

"Ver?"

"Can I stay here? With you? Just for tonight." I asked. His small smile grew wider.

"Of course." Oliver replied in a light tone.

We were lying down, and closed the curtains, so that Percy won't see anything. I listened to Oliver's heart beat as I started drifting to sleep.

"Oliver?" I whispered. I felt him shift around to look at me.

"Yeah, Verity?" The breeze form the window nearly floated his voice away. The moonlight slipping past the curtains accented his face.

"I love you." The words tumbled out of my mouth, shocking me. I felt his heart beat scamper a bit. I saw his teeth gleam as he foolishly grinned at me.

"I love you too, Verity."

* * *

><p>The sun blinded me as I woke up. I squinted around, trying to make out where I was. I started to stretch, only to realize I was tangled with Oliver. I looked up at him, still sleeping.<p>

I smiled as I gazed at his sleeping face. His mouth was slightly open, and his eyebrows furrowed. This chocolate brown hair was askew and messy, some parts looked lighter than others due to the sun. He looked so peaceful, I just wanted to go up and kiss - wait, no. Not that. We're not even together!

Though, the thought of waking up to him, like this, wrapped in his arms, the golden sun gleaming through the windows, just inches away from his face_, is _appealing. If I was his girlfriend, then I could easily just go up and kiss him, and there'd be no consequence… but no. I'm not. He's probably chasing after some blonde Ravenclaw Quidditch player right now.

Oliver's eyes opened slowly, and he looked down at me with a smile. "Morning, Love," He said quietly.

"Morning," I whispered back. I rested my head on my hand, smiling softly. Oliver went and tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear.

We gazed at each silently, just smiling, for a while, until we heard the dormitory door bang open.

"OLIVER!" I heard the one of twins' voices yell. Oliver and my eyes opened widely as we heard fast footsteps. We began to scramble to try to untangle ourselves from each other.

"The pitch isn't ours today, it's Slytherins." Oliver groaned, trying to sound like he just woke up. Of course, he'd think the twins were trying to wake him up for Quidditch. I rolled my eyes. At this point, Oliver was trying to shove the covers over my head to keep my hidden. I hit him, and gasped for air after he accidentally choked me with the blankets.

"Oliver! Verity's not in her bed! None of the girls said they saw her last night! George is down checking the common room if she's there." Fred said, and whipped open the curtains.

A shocked look slammed onto his face when he saw me hitting Oliver in the chest when he was holding the blanket up. My hair turned a short, curly blonde cut at being caught in Oliver's bed. I stared up at Fred timidly.

"Why are you guys looking for her, anyway?" Oliver asked slowly, blushing wildly at being caught.

Fred gaped at the two of us before answering. "Because we didn't see her at all yesterday, not even at dinner… or after. And George was the one that's more worried. He couldn't stop talking about where she could've gone…"

"George?" I stared at Fred, imagining his brother having a panicked face while looking for me. The two didn't mix very well.

"He even checked the library after dinner to surprise you, but you weren't there." The color drained from my face, and I sat at the edge of the bed, my back to Oliver. I began to feel guilty for avoiding him yesterday.

Another pair of footsteps frantically ran their way into the room. "Fred! Did you find her? What if she was taken by Marcus Flint and his posse, and held captive in the Slytherin dungeons?"

I covered my face, and turned my hair long, curly, and brown. I felt Fred and Olivers eyes on me.

"I found her," Fred said, calling back at George. "in Oliver's bed." George's footsteps stopped abruptly at the edge of his bed. I peeked at his face, growing redder by the second.

"What?" He looked from me to Oliver, incredulously. I opened my mouth and closed it, not knowing what to say to him.

"Oliver, you knew!" George exclaimed.

"And you knew too!" Oliver argued back quickly. I stared at both of them confused.

"Knew what?" I asked. Fred looked away from me, while the two other boys glared at each other.

"Then why'd you do this?" George asked.

"Because I was taking my chances! You've had your turn!" Oliver said. The two boys clearly had ignored my earlier inquiry.

"_Knew_ what?" I repeated, louder.

They both looked at me. "Nothing!" They both snapped. I frowned at both of them as they continued to argue.

"You absolutely knew about you-know-what!"

"You positively knew that you-know-what was the same for me!"

"What are you guys talking about?" I asked, poking each in the chest. They completely ignored me.

"I've let you had your turn since the beginning of the semester!" Oliver said.

"Did not! I got like five minutes alone! You were _everywhere_ like glue!" George said, pointing at Oliver. Oliver's mouth gaped open.

"Was not!" Oliver gasped.

"Was to! Besides you've had your turn for over three years!"

"That wasn't even a turn! That was on a low level, then! It isn't the same now!"

"Is to!"

"Is not!" I stared at the boys bicker like an old married couple. It was like watching a muggle tennis match!

"You know what? Fine! But I have an idea!" George said, throwing his hands up.

"What?"

"Let you-know-who choose! Whoever gets chosen, gets them." George said, and began to walk out the room, Fred following.

"Fine!" Oliver yelled at him, walking towards the bathroom door.

"Fine, fine!" George yelled back.

"Fine, fine, fine!" Oliver mocked, his hand on the door handle.

"Fine, fine, fine, FINE!" George bellowed, and slammed the door behind him.

"FIIIIINE!" Oliver hollered at the now closed door, and whipped inside the bathroom, slamming _his_ door behind him.

I stared at the two doors, bewildered at what happened. I was alone in the room, all three of the boys left me. I grumbled at being left alone.

"Fine." I imitated in a whiny voice. "Fine. Just leave me alone!"

I stood up, and made my way to my dormitory on the opposite side.

"Stupid boys." I muttered, and slammed my own door behind me.


	6. Squished Spaces

**Wow, I'm SOOO sorry that I haven't updated _at all_ for the past few weeks. Trust me, I feel so guilty to have kept you all waiting!**

**I'm getting really, _really_ busy, so I might not be updating as much as I was in the summer, but I'm going to try to update weekly, I promise! Sometimes I might run out of steam, and hit a dead end when I'm writing, but when that happens, I'll just do my homework to start thinking again or play some of my music, but I promise, even if my imagination runs out, I'm still going to push it forward and get thinking again! I'm going to try to update once a week to the best of my ability, so don't you guys worry!**

**I'm so grateful that all of you are reading, and I want to thank you guys for ALL of the sweet, sweet reviews. You have no idea how much that helps me pull through the day, whether it's going well or not.**

**Thank you, Thank you, _Thank you._**

* * *

><p>I sat in the Great Hall, practically drowning in all the food Oliver and George were offering me. What <em>odd <em>behavior they have right now…

"Here Verity! Eat this, it's your favorite pudding!" George tried shoving a bowl down my throat. I stared at it.

"I don't have a favorite pudding, George." I said bluntly.

"Well, have a cauldron cake!" Oliver waved the pastry in my face. I swatted his arm away, and then George's when he tried putting a piece of chicken to my nose. Fred stared at the three of us, obviously highly amused.

"What are you guys trying to do? Make me so fat, I can't even fit through the gigantic door?" I mumbled. "Let me eat in peace, you guys are like annoying garden gnomes right now."

I stabbed my shepherd's pie with my fork, and noticed that the boys have immediately become quiet, and stopped bickering. I swear, I could practically hear Professor Trelawney drop her thirtieth fork. I frowned.

"I didn't mean _that_ quiet! I meant quite badgering me with food! What is it with you two? First, that fight that only _Merlin_ knows what it's about, then dragging me out of the library at lunch, and now _this?_ Honestly!" I said, exasperated.

I let my silverware clatter on my dish as I looked at the both of them. They chewed on their food while staring at me, acting like obedient little school boys. Then, they kept fidgeting, staring at my face… I think they were trying to look me straight in the eyes. I rolled them ever so dramatically.

"I just want you two to act normal, before anything of this morning happened, okay? Got it?" They both nodded furiously, and it pained my _own_ neck to see how much they were moving their heads. I sighed. "Alright, good. Now eat your own food, instead of trying to choke me with it."

George and Oliver began eating and chatting while Fred snickered. I closed my eyes, and took a long, deep breathe.

Gosh, I feel like a mother. Now I understand _why_ my mum got so mad at Will and Wes when we were younger. They were both clear pains in the arse! I'm never going to have children if they acted like this. They'll be the death of me!

* * *

><p>I trudged back to the common room, George and Oliver hovering around each side. I grumbled to myself, having barely any elbow room for me to twitch a finger. I felt like a sardine in a tin box.<p>

Once in the common room, I found a small desk for me to do my assignment, but instead of letting me work alone, George and Oliver crammed themselves to work on the desk too. And when I said small desk, I truly meant _miniature_. I glared at the inch of work space I had while the two practically had miles of space to work on, which was covered with practically the contents of their trunks. Their papers were scattered everywhere, I could barely even find my own face, I was buried alive with parchment and books.

"You guys, seriously?" I muttered, digging my way to find my Transfiguration book. I got indescribable grunts from both of them. I blushed as I heard whispers about George, Oliver and me make their rounds around the room. I felt many eyes on the three of us, impatiently waiting for something to happen.

"Help me? Please? I can't find my book." I was returned with more grunts, instead of the eager sounds of them trying to help me. What happened to all of those attempts of trying to please me?

Oh right. I told them to just bug off. _Great._

"Guys?" I was yet ignored again. I let go of an held in breath, and glared at all of the papers surrounding me.

"You guys!" I flailed my arms around, making all the papers fly off of me. It look as if a paper volcano erupted. The two stared at me in shock. I hastily pointed to my book across from me.

"Book, me, now." I said sternly. They cautiously handed me my book. "Thank you." I magically organized their thrown papers into their own piles, and got back to writing my Transfiguration essay.

"Verity, what's the spell to make things into birds?" George asked me, struggling to stay focused on his homework.

"_Avifors." _I said, demonstrating, making his quill into a small bird, which flew out of the window. He pouted at me.

"That was my last sugar quill…" He looked at me with puppy eyes. I chuckled quietly.

"I have a ton more. You can come and get some later in my room." I smiled, and began to work again. George gleamed, and started working on his essay, more determined. I skeptically watched him and Oliver work, before turning back to my book.

_I wonder what's with them_, I thought while reading my book. _They sure are acting funny today. More around me than anything. Maybe they just want to take care of me from Terence? Maybe they just want to make sure I'm alright. _

I scrunched my lips in frustration. Why _are_ they acting so weird?

_Perhaps they like you._ My mind said, and I frowned. Maybe. But probably not. I saw Oliver hang out with Rose Walters, one of the Ravenclaw chasers, quite often, especially between classes. They seemed pretty into each other.

And even though George hangs around a lot of other girls, he doesn't look at them the way he looks at me. And same goes for Oliver. It's as if they get a special sort of glow whenever I'm with them, or they look at me…

I waved the possibility that they like me away. Not even in a million years, they will. They each had a certain type, and I didn't categorize in to either of theirs. I was probably light years away from their "types", so maybe that's why I've been able to stay 'just friends' with them for so long.

I realized that I was sulking while I was thinking about that, and frowned. I shouldn't be bummed over that they don't like me! I should at least be glad that I have three wonderful friends such as them, right? Right.

I smiled, reminding myself that so many people would kill to be in my position. I have three, faithful, best friends who love me for who I am. I didn't have to change my appearance for them, or think a certain way. I could just be myself around them, and they wouldn't care! So, I'm one hell of a lucky girl right now, even _if_ I don't have a boyfriend.

"Verity, are you okay? You look like you've sucked up some happy juice. Your smile is awfully big right now." Oliver said, setting down his quill, and studying my face.

"Yeah, your smile looks forced, and idiotic." George added, poking my cheek. I frowned at him.

"Hey, that's not fair!" I called, and pouted. "I was just trying to be optimistic and happy…"

"Well, Verity is always idiotic, and stupid. Not to mention, brutally fake." Caroline stepped in behind Oliver. I, along with George, glared at her, my eyes flashing a bright green. Oliver was too shocked, and confused on who was hugging him from behind his shoulders.

"At least I don't get Trolls on any of my grades, Caroline," I spat back. She gasped a very prissy gasp, and I rolled my eyes. Oliver looked up behind his shoulder, and jumped out of his seat, running over between George and I. He had a revolted look on his face. I bit my lip as not to laugh.

"Well, I for one know that _your face_," She swung her finger around my nose, "isn't actually, your _real_ face." I rolled my eyes.

"And how is that?"

"B-because, you're hair is actually black, and your face is supposed to look like your brother… Will's! It looks nothing like his!" Caroline sputtered. I stared at her, my eyebrows raised.

"She looks like her mom… Will looks like her dad…" Oliver trailed.

"Plus she's a metamorphmagus, she's never had a single straight hair color since the moment she's been born." Caroline glared at George and I, trying to figure out what to say.

"Well, she's a stupid book worm." She sniffed.

"Stupid? Caroline, stupid and book worm can't go into a sentence and make sense." I said. She rolled her eyes, and tried to slip over to Oliver. He kept on avoiding her, but eventually she cornered him to the table.

"So, Oliver, the first Hogsmeade trip is this weekend." Caroline began to twirl her hair. "How about we go together?" She batted her eyelashes. Oliver's eyes opened wide, and he gulped.

"I-I was planning to go with these three here… Or two. I can't find Fred at the moment." Oliver said, eyeing George and I desperately.

"Well, Verity and I were planning to study together this weekend." George said, pulling me closer to him. Oliver narrowed his eyes. Caroline practically jumped for joy.

"Perfect! Then it could just be me and you!" Caroline wrapped herself around Oliver's arm. Oliver squeaked, and tried to shake her off. George and I started to howl with laughter.

"_NO! _You two are coming with me, to Hogsmeade, on this weekend, or else I'm going to take you off the team for the next game!" Oliver threatened us. We stared at him, our mouths agape.

"That's not fair!" I protested.

"Is to!"

"Oliver, c'mon. We already had something planned." George and I shared a look. Oliver rushed towards us.

"Please, _please_," He whispered in our ears. "I'll pay you guys a galleon. _Please!"_

I sighed, and looked over at George. He was pondering over the thought of money. "Fine. Just for you. And give George my Galleon.I don't need it." I whispered in his ear. He nodded.

"Alright." Oliver smiled. I sighed, and smudged my lips.

"But it's only for a while. I _did_ already have something planned with George already."

"Oh, great!" Caroline said, with false enthusiasm. "It's like a double date!" George, Oliver and I scowled.

"Yeah…" George said, gloomily.

"Alright, I'll be going. I need to write a letter to my agent, something about a _new photo shoot_. Goodnight Ollie!" She grabbed his face, and planted a big, long kiss on his cheek, and ran away. I glared at her as she pranced away, and Oliver stood there, his face mixed between disgust and shock. George and I laughed at his expression, and grabbed his arm.

"C'mon George, let's go get you your sugar quill. Night, Oliver." I kissed him, awfully close to the mouth, - by accident, might I add - leaving him turning him a very rosy red.

George followed me eagerly up the steps into my dorm. He took my hand as we giggled like little kids, prancing inside the room.

Thankfully, the room was empty, and I giggled as George hugged me around the waist. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and smiling, looked into his brown eyes. I laughed as he started to spin around in circles, having me walk backwards.

"George!" I squealed as he picked me up, and placed me onto his feet. We twirled around the dorm room, moving at our own beat.

"Oh! Wait a moment," George pointed his wand at the door, and placed a spell on it. "Don't want any prefect barging in an yelling." He winked, and I laughed at him again.

He pulled me closer, and smirked. I rolled my eyes playfully, and stuck my tongue out at him. He placed his nose on mine, and scrunched it, making a face at me. I giggled at his silliness.

We danced around until I felt my knees hit my bed. I fell down, with George on top of me. It seemed as if all time stopped as my eyes met his bright brown ones, glowing in the sun. His smile was bigger than ever, yet it was mixed with surprise. I let my lips part as a breeze passed over us.

I admired how brightly his teeth shined in the dying sun's light, and how his red hair glowed a sunset orange. His brown eyes gleamed hazel, and how his freckles spotted his face, across his cheek, over the bridge of his nose, and onto the other cheek. His lips were a pale pink, but it still contrasted against his pale skin.

I pulled his head closer, and closed my eyes as our lips made contact. I felt him smile against my lips before he kissed me back. He picked me up beneath him, and positioned us so that we laid down on the bed properly. I smiled at him, hovering over me, and watched as he returned a gleeful smile back.

He kissed me again, more passionately this time, until there came a sound from the door. We whipped our heads around, just to hear Alicia say that she forgot to do her work. George chuckled and then closed the blinds on my bed.

"Oh, George." I laughed as he kissed my nose. He began to plant small kiss to the way to my mouth.

"Shh," He said against my lips. "Let's just have some fun, okay?"

* * *

><p>I woke up laying on top of George. My eyes widened as I searched myself for all of my clothes… which I did have, thankfully.<p>

But when I looked at George, he didn't. Well, he was just missing his shirt… I slid over just a bit to get a better look at him.

_Merlin's beard!_ This boy was fit! And I was lying _on top _of him!

George opened his eyes, and smiled brightly at me. "Good morning, Beautiful."

A grin grew on my face.

"Morning, George." I kissed him lightly. He chuckled, and pulled me over by the small of my back. He opened a section of the curtain back, seeing if anyone was in the room. He slid it back after making sure it was empty.

"What a wonderful morning, eh?" He joked, looking out the window. The sky was gray, and sheets of rain were coming down by the second.

"Oh, it's a perfect day!" I played along. George winked, and kissed me gently. I giggled, and kissed him back.

George and I walked into the Great Hall, holding hands. As we approached the table, I saw Oliver glare at the table after looking at us moving towards him. I frowned, and scrunched my eyebrows. There was something definitely going on between the two boys, and they wouldn't tell me.

"Morning, Oliver." I said as cheerily as I could. He smiled up at me awkwardly, and stared at his breakfast. I sighed and sat down next to him. George decided to sit across from us.

"Ol, what's wrong?" I asked him, putting my hand over his. Oliver stopped fidgeting with his fork and grumbled.

"It's Saturday," I rolled my eyes.

"And?"

"I have to go to Hogsmeade with Caroline." He groaned, and practically rammed his face into his bacon. I stifled a laugh, and gently pulled him back upright.

"Oliver, it can't be _that_ bad. Besides, you have George and I to be with you." I said, and pried a bit of toast off of his face. Oliver pouted at me.

"Aw, Verity, do we _have_ to? I mean, it's _Caroline._" George whined. I glared at him, and rubbed Oliver's arm.

"Yes. We do. Because it's for Oliver. And I hate it when he's miserable." I smiled softly at Oliver as he stared at me.

"Thanks Verity." He said, and took my hand to intertwine his fingers with mine. I tinged a bright pink at the feel of his touch, and smiled wider. Funny little sparks were going off in my head. I felt butterflies grow in my stomach as Oliver stared into my eyes.

George cleared his throat, clearly disapproving. I blushed even deeper as Oliver rolled his eyes. We both let go of our hands as George glared at him.

"Do you guys hear that?" I looked around as I began to hear a clicking noise get louder.

"What noise? Oh… _Oh_ _no_." Oliver groaned. I peered down the hall just to see Caroling trotting toward up, slapping her high heeled boots down on the floor.

"Morning, Ollie!" Caroline chirped. "Hi George." She squeezed down, mashing herself in between Oliver and me. I pouted at her as she began to wrap herself around Oliver's arm.

"Aren't you going to say morning to Verity?" Oliver asked her, looking nauseous as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Oh, Verity? Well, okay." I raised my eyebrows as she glared at me. "Verity, it's a bit tight, do you mind scooting over, or maybe changing seat?" She asked in a false, sweet tone. My jaw dropped, and she smiled evilly at me.

"Fine. But you should know, you smeared your eyeliner down your cheek." I said as I stood up. George stood up too.

"I'm going to the common room to get ready for the trip, anyway." I began to walk away, but Oliver wouldn't let me. George was by my side already.

"Verity, you can't leave yet. You didn't even finish your breakfast!" He said, but his eyes begged "_You can't leave me here with this stupid twat!_"

"I'm not that hungry…" I replied, trying to ease myself away from Caroline's threatening looks.

"But you're coming with us to Hogsmeade, right?" There was desperation in his voice that I wanted to laugh at, but I just wasn't in the mood.

"Yeah. I have to, remember?" I said. Caroline began to shoot daggers at me.

"Besides, Verity and I have to go to the book store there." George said, and I smiled a bit as he pulled me closer to him.

"That too."

"Okay then. You guys better come. Or else." Oliver said, and eyed Caroline like she was a snake.

"Alright. We'll be back in five minutes to leave." I said and began to walk out with George.

"Take your time!" Caroline called, but I could still feel her horrible glare on my back.

"Don't!" Oliver yelled frantically after.

I sighed, and looked up at George. "Today's going to be a long day, isn't it?"

He nodded, and sighed too. "Yeah. It sure is."


	7. Hogsmeade

**I'm so, so, so, so, so, so, so sorry that I haven't updated in such a long time! I've just gotten so caught up with school, and band, and auditions, that I haven't found the time to write. I feel so ashamed in myself that I wasn't able to update sooner!**

**I've been trying to get my writing back up to par again, after writing such dry essays for english, and I hope that this is at least a pretty decent chapter for you guys to read! I hope you guys enjoy, and thankyou thankyou thankyou for being patient (:**

**Disclaimer:** JK Rowling is rich. And she owns Harry Potter. I do not want to get sued by her, ever, ever, ever.  
>However, this plot is mine.<p>

* * *

><p>"I swear, one day, I'm going to kill that girl." I muttered as I peered over my scarf at Caroline.<p>

I heard George snicker. "Well, if you do, then I'll be in the cell with you when you get sentenced to Azkaban. I can't stand her guts." He smiled at me, and I chuckled before burying myself under my scarf and coat again.

"Look, Ollie! Isn't that little café just _adorable?_ Can we have our drinks up there?" Caroline began dragging Oliver up the hill as he groaned and blithered, causing several shaky lines to be drawn into the newly sticking snow. George and I laughed at his misery, and followed them.

"Merlin's Beard, can this place get any bit more-!"

"I think it's sort of cute," I said mindlessly. George turned and stared at me.

"_What?_" He asked, raising his eyebrows. I shrugged, and took his hand.

"C'mon. It's like a little café. How bad can it get? Plus they have hot chocolate."

"What's hot chocolate?" George frowned at me, confused.

"It's um, - Well, there's also coffee there."

"Coffee?" George gaped at me as we sat at the table a few feet away from Oliver and Caroline. My eyes widened as I began to comprehend the whole idea that he didn't know these muggle drinks. Madam Puddifoot came forward, and George looked frantically at me.

"I-I'll just order for you." I assured him as she came forward.

"Verity? Is that you? I could've sworn that every time you came here last year, you came with either that Oliver Wood! What happened to you two? He's over there with that girl, he seems rather miserable, you know. You two were gorgeous together!" I blushed a deep red as her laugh trilled along the café. George stared at the small, stout woman.

"Hi Madam… Can we just get two coffees?" She nodded, and waltzed away. I sunk lower into my chair as I felt George's gaze on the top of my head.

"You came in here with _Oliver_ last year? So, every Hogsmeade trip that you two went on, saying that you guys were going to study, and get books, you guys came in _here?_ In this sappy place?"

"George, it's not like that. We _did_ study. We weren't together or dating like all the couples here…"

"But did you guys hold hands and kiss, and snog like all the rest of the couples here?" George leaned closer into my face. I bit my lip.

"No. We didn't." I said straight, chewing on my cheek. George studied my face, and I gulped.

"How can I know that you're not lying?" George asked me, a bit louder than his normal voice. I looked around, and saw that some people were looking at us, Oliver and Caroline included.

I studied George's face, desperately searching my mind for something that would stop him from getting louder.

"How do I know that - ?" I grabbed the front of his knitted sweater, and brought his face to mine. I closed my eyes, and kissed him firmly on the lips. The next few words paused at his lips as he began to kiss me back, quickly getting over the shock.

I heard the scrape of a chair. "Oliver! What are you doing?" Caroline squealed.

Immediately, I felt the sting of colder air as George's lips were gone from mine, and looked up. Oliver was dragging him out of the tearoom, and Caroline was standing there, looking lost. I slammed a galleon on each table, and stood up.

I looked at her sternly. "Stay there, and don't follow." I told her, and grabbed my coat, and ran out after the boys.

As I opened the door, I spotted the two boys slipping down the hill. I raced after them, hastily pulling my red trench coat on.

"What, in the _bloody hell_ are you two doing?" I yelled at them as they quarreled. They turned around, and looked at me in shock. "What? What is it? Why have you two been acting so strangely lately?"

I glared at them as the white snow blazed around us. They continued to stare at me, mouths open. I put my hands on my hips.

"Tell me! I can't believe that you two would do such a thing! You guys made such a _scene_ back there, it was embarrassing!" My hair had now grown long, and a deep red, and I stared at them with green eyes.

"He wasn't supposed to kiss you like that!" Oliver pointed at George. George stared at him.

"You can't say that! It's not like you haven't kissed her like that before! I have my rights!"

"_What?_" I yelled over them. _Merlin's beard, they're going back to fighting about the-thing-they-won't-tell-me-about._

"_Rights?_ Pfft, yeah right! It wasn't a part of the deal!"

"Deal? There was no deal! There were no rules when we agreed to this!" I stared at the two boys as they returned to their argument. Seeing as it was useless to try to get their attention by yelling, I began to make two very compact snow balls.

I sighed, and started to take aim. I threw one at George's ear.

"OUCH! What was that for?" George rubbed his ear, while frowning. I didn't exactly hear him over Oliver's protests. I was trying to follow him so I could hit him properly.

"Verity! What are you doing! You're out of you bloody mind! Don't you _dare_ throw that snowball at me!" Oliver hid behind George.

"Oliver, you come out from behind George this instance!" I yelled.

"If I do, will you refrain from throwing that at me?"

"Yes." I lied. I bit my lip, as Oliver began to inch out from behind George.

"Verity, you crazy bat of a woman, I can barely trust you-" Oliver poked his head out over George's shoulder, and I hit him in the face. "OW!"

I laughed, and clutched my stomach as I stumbled away from Oliver. His face was turning a bright pink as he wobbled over to me and tried to grab me. I ducked behind a wall, and giggled as I ran away. Oliver finally caught up, and grabbed me by my coat collar.

"Why are you always so mean to me?" He asked, and I smiled innocently at him.

"What do you mean? I'm always my sweetest to you, dearest Oliver!" I giggled while I stared at him under my gray scarf. He raised his eyebrows, and began to smile.

"Oh, _are _you now?" He picked me up from my waist, and twirled me around while I started to laugh.

"Oliver! Stop!" I squealed as I kicked my legs around. He kept on laughing, and I covered my eyes, and laughed with him.

"Hey, you two! Quiet down, a little, willya?" George yelled at us. Oliver and I stopped spinning and stared at him. He was looking across the bridge, where a tall, gangly red head was running to him.

"George! There you are! I've been looking for you." Fred huffed when he came to us. He was holding a slightly wrinkled roll of parchment.

"Fred? I thought you were with Angelina." George said, and sniffed. He eyed me before looking back at his brother. Oliver and I just watched the two.

"Well, I was, but then she decided to go out with Katie to find Alicia who was looking for Roger, but then he was down here. No, but seriously, George, I found something!" Fred raised his eyebrows, and toyed with the parchment in his hand.

"Fred, come one. We know that map by heart, how can there possible be anything new?" George said, looking at Fred and the paper.

"No, really, you have to look at this! I was looking at it before I was going to go into the kitchens, just to make sure no one was in the hall, and then… I really just have to show you!" Fred waved his hands excitedly

George looked at Oliver and me, then Fred, and rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, okay. Fine." He sighed. "Okay, we'll meet you guys back at the castle for dinner, okay? I'll go see what this is then..." He waved bye to me and Oliver before joining his twin back to the castle.

I repositioned my scarf, and stuck my hands back in my pockets before I started to walk back to the café with Oliver.

"Ready to take on Caroline?" I asked him as we got closer to the village.

"I'd rather not, actually. She's complete torture." I chuckled under my breath as I looked at the glowing pink building.

"I think you sort of have to. She came with us, you know? And anyway, I feel a little bad for leaving her all alone in the café." I said as I stared at the snow swirling around.

"What about you? You'll be alone if I do." Oliver stopped in front of me, and I smiled at him.

"I'll be fine, I can just stay at _Tomes and Scrolls_, and read some." I said reassuringly as I changed my hair into wavy brunette locks. "I really think you're just trying to avoid her, Oliver."

"No, I can deal with Caroline if I absolutely have to. It's you, Verity." Oliver said lightly as he came a bit closer.

"Excuse me?"

"I just don't want you to be alone." I looked up at him, and watched both of our breaths fog up as they met the winter air.

"Ol, I said I can handle myself." I smiled weakly as he came even closer.

"I'm not sure. What if Terence and Flint come around? There aren't any professors here to stop them." Oliver licked his lips, and gulped. I took a few steps backwards so I could study his face properly.

"I think you're lying. That's not the reason why you don't want to leave me alone... Oliver, it's okay. I'll be fine, I can handle being alone. I'm stronger than how I was before."

"Verity, I don't think _you_ understand. I don't _want_ you to be alone." I bit my lip as he began to come closer again. With every step he took, butterflies started to awaken in my stomach, and my legs got weaker.

"Oliver, I said I'll be-"

"No. It's not that. I _don't want_ you to be alone. I don't want Terence, or Marcus to come and get you. I don't want you to spend the rest of the day reading spell books, or rune novels." Oliver was inches away now, and I looked up at him. He gently lifted my hands out of my pockets, and intertwined his fingers with them.

"I want you to _stay_ with me. I want us to spend the day together. Verity, I want you to _be with me._" Oliver's hazel eyes locked into mine, and kept me from moving. He wrapped his arms around my waist, and pulled me even closer. I could feel his warm breath, and smell his scent of pine and windswept broomsticks and bits of vanilla.

My mouth opened, but the words got stuck. It was just Oliver and me there, with the snow falling lazily around us, and my hair swimming in the slight breeze. I smiled as I closed my eyes, and felt his lips come closer and closer. The butterflies in my stomach began to get more and more frantic as I started to feel the sparks bursting from the contact between his and my lips.

_This kiss. _I thought as I smiled and kissed him back. _This is supposed to be what a real kiss feels like. Sparks and fireworks. This is the boy I've been in love with. This is who I want to kiss, and this is-_

"Oliver! Yoohoo, Oliver! _OLIVER!_"I pulled away from Oliver, and mentally groaned. I chewed on my cheek, and pulled my beanie further over my head. Oliver sighed and scratched his head.

"Yeah, Caroline?" He called over to her, clearly agitated. She skipped over, and took a death grip on his arm.

"Aren't we supposed to be on a _date?_" She asked, and then glared at me. I stared at her, tensed my jaw.

"I never actually said it was a-" Oliver started to protest.

"You do know that you're not supposed to leave such a beautiful girl, such as _moi,_ on a date! Especially in such cold weather!" I rolled my eyes and Oliver stared at her as she chirped on.

"We should go shopping in Honeydukes together, Oliver! To make up for all that lost time when you left me alone!" Caroline rubbed her head against Oliver's arm like a cat. I looked at her, then took a deep breath in, and sighed.

"Well, what's wrong with _you,_ Verity? Why don't you go to your little bookworm corner, and hide yourself away? You're being an awful spirit in the presence of such a perfect couple, you know." Caroline said. I glared at her.

"Fine, if that's what you want, Caroline." I sneered at her, and began to walk over to the quill shop.

"Ver, wait!" Oliver caught me by the arm. "What about all that I said earlier? What about that kiss? You can't just _leave_ me with her."

I eyed Caroline, with her arms crossed, huffing and tapping her toes. I shook my head, and bit my lip. "I'm sorry, Oliver. I can't stand her."

Oliver cupped my face with my hands to make me look at him. "Verity, I love you."

"I love you too, Oliver, but I just _really _can't." I kissed his cheek, and walked away into the shop.

* * *

><p>"Look at what we have here, boys! Miss Love sitting by herself, in the corner of a book store. I thought we'd find you here!" I sighed and rolled my eyes.<p>

"Flint, I thought you'd be too intellectually stupid to even _know_ that this was a book store! I must have been mistaken, then. Five points to Slytherin, for their Quidditch captain actually knows what a book is." I put down my book, and clapped sarcastically.

"Why, I oughta-!" Flint growled. I laughed.

"Chill, will you? I was kidding." I picked up my book, and started reading again.

"Hmph. Well, where's Wood, and the Weasleys?" Adrian Pucey asked, and I saw that he was searching the store intently for them.

"Don't hurt your neck trying to scour this place for them. They're not here." I said monotonously. The posse of three just stared at me.

"What? Why not?" Well, apparently it's abnormal for me to be alone…

"Fred and George had to take care of some business, and Oliver's been dragged away by the wicked, winter witch dressed in pink." I yawned, and picked up a different book after scribbling down some notes.

"Oh. Well…"

"Were you looking for a fight with Oliver, Marcus?" I flipped through my book trying to find the chapter on Gillyweed to take notes on for Herbology.

"I- uh,"

"He's either in Honeydukes with a bat of a woman, or Spintwitches. Your welcome." I picked up my new sugar quill, and sucked on it while reading over the chapter.

"Why are you being so nonchalant today, Love? Did Wood do something to you?" Pucey asked, grabbing one of my books.

"Not necessarily. I just don't have the energy in me to come up with nasty retorts anymore."

"Ah, well… We're gonna go. Higgs, are you staying?" Marcus asked him as he began to stand up.

Terence nodded. "Staying I guess. Not much else I can do." Marcus and Adrian looked at us, then shrugged before heading out of the shop. Terence too a seat next to me on the floor.

"Not much of a fighter, are you?" I chuckled while scribbling a bit.

"Nah, not really. It's more of them two who do the physical stuff… I usually just do the thinking." Terence picked up my Transfiguration book, and began skimming it.

"How come you guys aren't playing next week? You know, for quidditch?" I asked as I flipped through my old notes, of which George and Oliver drew quidditch plays in.

"Malfoy, and his arm."

"I know for sure Malfoy's arm isn't bad anymore. It was just hippogriff." I laughed.

"It isn't. Marcus is just making him 'milk' it, so he wouldn't have to play Gryffindor in such bad weather." Terence shrugged.

"That's terrible sportsmanship!" I laughed, and Terence smiled.

"I know. But it was Flint's idea, and I couldn't stop him. Besides, you guys are probably going to win over Hufflepuff anyway, so why bother being bothered about it?"

"I guess. I can't really say anything though; I'm not actually on the team, you know." I sighed, and flipped through my book again.

"Yeah, I know." I smiled lightly at him, and then returned to writing more notes.

"Verity, can I ask you something?"

"Mm?" I rubbed my eyes, and yawned again.

"Are you okay?" I frowned, and looked at Terence. This certainly wasn't what I was expecting to be asked.

"What?"

"I mean, are you _okay_? You don't seem well. Your appearance seems more gaunt, and you look over stressed and tired all the time. Is everything all right?"

"Yeah, I'm just studying a lot more. Why?" I started to bury my face into more books, and pretended that I had a lot of notes to take.

"You're going on the same cycles as Professor Lupin is. You two both look like you haven't gotten any sleep at the same time, and when dementor come more and more near, you tend to darken up a lot."

"Professor Lupin and I have somewhat of the same problems… but they don't effect me as personally as they do him. And who doesn't darken when dementor come?" I said as coolly as I could.

"Normal people don't shadow as much as you do."

"Sorry if I'm not normal, Terence."

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing. It's just that I want to know what happened. I already know that you've had a dark past." Terence wrapped his fingers around my hand to grab my attention. I looked at him, but shook his hand off lightly.

"I'd rather not tell you." I said, and started placing back books. I stood up after I set everything back in its place, and got all of my materials.

"C'mon, Love. You have to tell me these things. We're _engaged_." I stopped in my tracks of checking if I had everything.

"I'll tell you when we're _married_." I let the word roll off my tongue with a shudder. "But for now, not even Oliver, nor twins now about my past. So don't try to pry into my business until I let you."


	8. Under the Weather

**Disclaimer: **JK Rowling is an amazing woman. Who writes fantastic things, such as Harry Potter.  
>However, I am a mediocre writer, and I own only the plot in this story, as well as Verity, and other characters that have not made an appearance in the Ms. Rowling's amazing series.<p>

* * *

><p>I woke up to the sound of strong wind and rain bashing on my window… Or maybe that's what woke <em>me<em> up. Either way, I woke up on top of a pile of books, quills, parchment, and bottle of ink… And my god, did moving hurt!

I stretched out painfully, and rolled my neck while checking to see what time it was. I groaned, and rubbed my head. _Four in the bloody morning_.

"Why am I even _awake?_" I muttered to myself as I began picking the bottles out of the pile, and then shoving the rest onto the floor with my foot. I plucked the sticky quills from my hair, and threw them onto my side table. I slid off of my bed as quietly as I could, and grabbed the necessary items to take the shower I neglected to have yesterday night.

By the time I walked back into the dormitory, the wind picked up some more, and it was raining dragons. I sighed as I stared out the window, hoping that nothing bad would happen to our team today. I watched the Black Forest sway, and the black clouds turn into gray before I turned around to finish getting ready.

"Bloody hell!" I jumped nearly a foot in the air when I was met with Fred, George, and Oliver sitting on my bed in their Quidditch uniforms. I looked around quickly, making sure I didn't wake up the rest of the girls.

"What in the world are you three doing here? And smiling like you did something terribly horrible?" I whispered hastily as I yanked my scarf and sweater from underneath them.

"Well, lovely Verity-" Chirped Fred.

"We haven't exactly done anything horrible," George smiled wider.

"Yet." I finished for them. I eyed all three of them. Oliver and the twins all stood up, and I backed away towards the wall. _Oh no…_

"How about we do the 'first match' tradition?" I frowned. The boys were beginning to corner me, and the air was getting awfully stuffy.

"There's never been a trad- _you guys!_" I squealed as Oliver picked me up, and threw me over his shoulder. They started happily down to the common room as I squirmed to get out of Oliver's grip.

"Jeez, Verity, chill out. Don't even bother trying to get out, because I'm not letting you go." Oliver laughed as he crawled out the portrait hole. I crossed my arms and huffed.

"At least tell me where we're going!" I glared at the animated paintings and portraits as they laughed and giggled at the sight of the boys and me.

"Down to the Astronomy tower." George said as he checked the corridor for any teachers.

"And why, exactly? It has no relevance to Quidditch at all."

"Like we said, it's tradition!" Fred smiled cheekily. I sneered at him.

"I don't see how. You guys never floated into my room, and surprise attacked me for the first match in the last five years. It's not a tradition if it's _new_."

"Oh, stop being a sour tomato." Oliver jumped to reposition me on his shoulder, and I gasped for air when my stomach hit his shoulder. "Sorry Verity."

"I hate you guys." I mumbled as I rubbed my head after hitting the corner of the wall.

"Well, it's been tradition for the three of us. We come up here to try to see the stars and guess whether they're in our favor or not."

"You guys aren't centaurs, how can you possibly read the stars?" I grumbled as we began going up the stairs.

"We're taking Astronomy, duh." Fred laughed.

"Astronomy is the study of stars, not _reading-_ oh never mind." I sighed when I noticed the boys weren't even listening to my inputs anymore. They were trying to race up the stairs of the astronomy tower… with me on Oliver's shoulder. I kneed him in the gut about four times, and he still didn't take notice that I wasn't a sack of potatoes.

"Hey, that's not cool." Oliver said when I slapped his butt to get him to stop running.

"Oh, shut up, Oliver. It's not like you didn't like it!" Fred jeered. Oliver and I blushed mad reds. George grabbed his brother by the arm, and pulled him to keep on scaling the stairs.

I hung limply over Oliver's shoulder as they began to walk towards the open tower, exhausted and sore from getting thrown around so much.

"I don't get why we're doing this. The sky is horrible, it's crying and having a tantrum." I grumbled as Oliver set me down next to the giant globe.

The three boys stayed quiet as they each stared out, up at the dark gray sky that screamed with thunder, and threw bolts of yellows, blues, and reds. The rain smacked the balcony violently, yet it never dared to slide into the open arched tower. I walked up to Oliver, and rested my head on his shoulder.

"We have to play in this weather, Verity." He said quietly as he gazed upward. I rubbed his arm.

"I know." I whispered back. He wrapped his arm around me, and I shivered as gust of wind passed.

"I'm worried." Oliver pulled me tighter. I looked up at him, and placed my hand on his cheek. My thumb grazed along the slight bit of stubble than began to grow on his chin.

"Why? You guys will be fine. It's not like you haven't played in weather like this before. Remember your fourth year? You guys played against Ravenclaw in this mess, and still won."

"Barely. We were losing before Charlie caught the snitch."

"Oliver, really, why are you so worried?"

"This is going to be a tough match, Verity. Cedric is bigger, he can't be thrown around as much as Harry can. And the team hasn't been taking this seriously enough. You can already tell we're losing focus." He nodded over the twins, who were pushing each other onto the balcony, getting soaking wet.

"Ol, don't worry so much. You can't control the weather, and you can only take care of your own performance. You can't change how anyone else does theirs. It's all up to them. Besides, everyone has their own different ways of relieving tension." Lightning struck a tree in the Black Forest, and the thunder blared across the lake.

"Why are you always so calm?"

"I'm never calm, Oliver. It may seem that way on the outside, but on the inside… it's not pretty. It's a hurricane in there." I hugged his chest. "I just wish I could have a sunny day. I'm too conflicted; there's too many things."

"If you're like that all the time, why don't you ever tell me?"

"No one knows about any of this. I haven't told anyone of my problems, it's too hard. This is just how I feel inside."

"Well, let me be the first." Oliver whispered in my ear. "Let me give you that sunny day. Let me bring spring."

I smiled softly at him. "I don't know if that's possible. It's been winter in my head for four years. I've tried, and it never worked." I looked out to the landscape again, and watched as the Black Lake turned and splashed in the wind.

"I'd rather you don't try. I'll be able to fix it somehow." I kissed him on the cheek. "I'm going now. You should start heading down to breakfast. The sun's starting to rise. Remember, this is about the match now, not me."

"But, Verity-"

"I'll be watching. And make sure nothing bad happens, take care of yourself. Well, if something does happen to you, I'll be there." I winked at him, and twirled my wand.

"Bye lovelies!" I called to the twins. They turned to me, grinning and soaked.

"See ya later, Ver!" They ran and tackled me.

"Ugh. Gross! Now I have to change. You two are horrible." I laughed, and pushed them off. I waved as I began to descend the stairs.

"Verity, why were you up so early? You were making so much noise." Angelina said as she fixed her bed, already dressed in her quidditch robes. I looked around to make sure Lynette wasn't in the room.

"It wasn't me! It was the twins and Oliver, the kidnapped me!" I said as I grabbed a new sweater and changed.

"Of course it was them. Who else would it have been?" Alicia laughed. I rolled my eyes, and fixed my hair into brown curls. I rummaged through my trunk for the knitted beanie my mother made me last year.

"I'm going down for breakfast, would either of you care to join me?" I asked as I fixed myself in the full length mirror on the door.

"No, sorry Ver. We're waiting for Katie. We'll see you down at the pitch though, right?"

"Yeah sure. I'll be there." I walked down to the common room, and slipped out into the hallway.

"Oh! George, _stop_." I heard a girl giggle. I furrowed my eyebrows. George? No, it couldn't be George Weasley. He has a match to get ready for…

"I'm not, -" Oh. That _is_ George's voice.

I heard the girl trill a laugh. "George, come on!"

Curiosity got the best of me, and I turned the corner, looking for who he was with. My hair turned blonde when I nearly ran straight into George and the girl. She had her arms wrapped around his neck. It was Elenna Heartsteelth, from Ravenclaw in our year. I remembered her from Herbology class last year.

He stared at me in shock, and I stared at the two with the same face expression. I recovered quickly, and composed myself in the quickest way possible.

"Verity! I didn't... This isn't… I mean -"

"I-I'm sorry for intruding…" I said quickly, and began to walk away, before I turned around. I heard his footsteps stop when I looked at him. "George?"

"Yeah, Verity?"

"Make sure you're at the field on time. I don't want Oliver to worry anymore." I said in the most flat tone I could muster. I turned briskly on the balls of my feet, and speed walked into the Great Hall. I sat down next to Lynette, and stared at my plate.

How could I have been so stupid? Of course George would go for another girl! I had _half _the mind to think he liked me? Obviously Oliver and he were fighting about something else, not me. And to think that I actually started to know what they were arguing about all the time. How could I have been so _wrong? _It's silly of me to think that either of them liked me. A few kisses and holding hands means nothing to them, apparently. Besides, they have girls crawling the floor for them, why in the world would they like _me?_ I'm Verity Love, the book worm, the studious girl who got misplaced into Gryffindor when I should be in Ravenclaw. I'm the metamorphagus who's feelings are hidden behind glass. I'm Verity Love, their _best friend_.

"Verity, are you okay? You're acting like how Oliver was earlier." Lynette asked me, and shoveled food onto my plate.

"Oliver was brooding?" I stared at the food she put on my plate. She began cutting the eggs and sausage before starting to spoon feed me. Lynette really knows how to act like my mother sometimes.

"Well, he seems more a bit scared than brooding, and he definitely didn't need me to spoon feed him, but yeah, sort of."

"_Why_ are you spoon feeding me?" I asked her through a mouthful of eggs. She laughed, and handed me a napkin.

"Because I know that if I don't, you're going to go anorexic." I swallowed, and frowned at her.

"I'm not going to go anorexic, I eat all the time!"

"Sorry, I'm just scared you will again. I'm not sure if you've fully quit the disease."

"When was I ever malnourished?" I took the silverware from her, and began feeding myself. Lynette looked at me seriously.

"When school started. Honestly, Verity, you looked like a zombie. What happened? You didn't even touch your plate then. The boys tried to feed you, but you never took a bite of anything."

"I don't like talking about it." I glanced at the ring on my finger, and then took another bite.

"Very well then. If that's the most you'll tell me." Lynette shrugged before popping a chocolate frog in her mouth. "When are you heading up to the match?"

"In a little bit. I have to return a book to the library first."

"Oh, alright. I'm heading over there now. Do you want me to save you a seat?" I chewed over the idea. The stands _did_ get pretty crowded during quidditch matches…

"No, it's fine. I'll find one myself. Thanks for offering though." I smiled at her as she left the table. I got up after finishing the food on my plate, and grabbed my bag.

I entered the library, and sighed as the wind rattled the windows. I gave my book to Madame Pince, and looked at a few French books before I was about to leave the library.

"It's a scary day to be flying, huh?"

"It really is…" I replied. "Hello Terence." I looked up at him, and smiled back.

"Are you going to watch the match?"

I laughed. "I think I'm sort of obligated to."

"Obligated?" Terence scrunched his mouth.

"You know, like I kind of have to go watch it?"

"I know what obligated means, Verity. I'm not stupid." I raised my eyebrows, and set the French book back in its shelf.

"Well, then." I fixed my bag on my shoulder, and started to walk out.

"I didn't mean it in that way. I just… Why do you have to watch the game?" Terence grabbed my wrist.

"My three best friends are playing, that's why." I pulled my hand away from his.

"Verity, come on. I didn't mean to be so mean. Marcus just isn't happy right now."

"What does he have to do with any of this?"

"He's mad and it just rubbed off on me. I'm sorry, Verity." I raised one eyebrow at him, and then sighed. "Please, I was looking for you, just so I could ask you to watch the match with me."

"Alright. I'll watch it with you." I said, and studied him as his smile grew wider on his face. He was wearing a dark green long sleeve with a thick black jacket. I fixed my beanie as we walked out of the library together.

The stands were full, despite the horrible weather. I sat in the middle of the Ravenclaw and Slytherin sections, and watched the game with Terence next to me.

"I though Hufflepuffs were supposed to be nice?" I yelled at him over the noise. One of the beaters just slammed Katie off of her broom.

"Me too!" Terence laughed. I looked at him before returning back to the game.

"Oliver, look out!" I yelled just before a bludger hit him in the face. He rubbed his nose, which was pouring out blood. A time out was called for him and Katie to get fixed up.

"This weather is absolutely frightening." I said to Terence, rubbing my jar of blue fire. My hands were freezing.

"Mhmm." He nodded, fixed on the game as the players flew back into the air.

"Look! It looks like Harry's seen the snitch!" A Ravenclaw pointed up to a red dot flying into the sky. Cedric Diggory wasn't far behind. Soon the stadium started to get quieter as the sky darkened, and the lightning picked up. The thunder began to fill the stadium every time if sounded, bringing jumps from the first years. The temperature began to drop at least five degrees per second.

"Terence, what's happening?" I whispered to him. He looked at me, wide eyed after staring at a shape that formed in the clouds.

Then it came. A loud scream from the other side of the stadium, and everyone stood up, looking upwards at the sky.

Harry Potter was falling, and Dementors were flying right on his tail.


	9. Showers

**Disclaimer: **JK Rowling has all the world at her disposal. And owns Harry Potter.

I only own this plot, as well as Miss Verity Love, and other characters that had the absolute lovely privilege to shine their faces in this fanfiction.

* * *

><p>"Fred, George, where's Oliver?" I asked them as they entered the common room.<p>

"Why are you looking for him? Aren't you concerned with us? We just got smacked around by the wind! What about Harry? Aren't you worried that he's dead? It's always Oliver!" George huffed at me. I bit my tongue as he glared at me. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"He's your best friend too, you should be worried also. At least I don't go around, snogging people when my best friend's freaking out." I retorted. "Tell me where he is, _now_." Half of the kids in the common room were staring at George and me. I bit my lip as I looked up to glare at him.

"He's in the pitch showers, Verity. I think he's trying to drown himself." Angelina said from across the room. I sighed, and closed my eyes while chewing on my cheek. George groaned.

"I'm going to go find him." I said, and began to clamber out of the portrait hole.

"Verity, I'm sorry! I didn't want to!" George called right before I closed it.

_Oh god, Oliver can't be doing this again. _I thought as I ran through the castle. I slipped on my bum right when I came to the Grand Entrance.

"Going somewhere, Love?" I picked myself up, and turned around to look at Heartsteelth, wearing her Prefect badge. Pretty Heartsteelth, with her spidery long legs, and perfect hair. And her badge. I couldn't help but sneer at her a little.

"Yeah. I'm going to find my friend, and keep him from killing himself." I said, and left her gaping after me as I pulled open the doors. I ran down the slippery grass and pebbles, squinting around trying to find the quickest way possible to the stadium. The rain battered me sideways, pushing me this way and that, and the wind slammed me down to the ground, making me slip and slide down some hills.

"Oliver! Don't do this!" I yelled at the stadium as I was crossing the long bridge. I knew that he couldn't hear me, but still. If some how he did, maybe he'd escape from getting pneumonia or hypothermia again. I hate seeing him sick or hurt.

I burst into the locker room, and followed the sound of the showers frantically. I was making a lot of racket, knocking over brooms, and tripping over a pile of quaffles, it was a wonder how Madame Hooch never came by to see what was going on.

"Oliver!" I gasped a sigh of relief when I found him, sitting on the floor of the showers, still fully dressed in his quidditch robes. "Holy Jesus! This water is freezing!" I dropped my wand when I fell into the practice gear bucket, so I manually turned off the showers, of which all were aimed at Oliver. In the attempt to do so, I got even more soaked. Oliver stayed curled in a ball on the floor. I rushed over, and hugged him.

"Bloody hell, Oliver, why are you doing this? It's just one game. It's not the end of the world." I held him closer. He was practically blue from the water and the weather.

"Yes it is." He brooded, and placed his head on his knees again. I sighed, and held his face so he could look at me. He wouldn't make eye contact though.

"No, it isn't. You'll still have a chance if Ravenclaw beats them in the next match." I hugged him tighter. "Oliver, you need to stop doing this to me."

"I'm not doing anything. I'm nothing." Oliver flicked the showers back on with his wand. I yelped at the cold water that streamed on us again. I grabbed his wand, and turned them off again.

"Why do you even say that? Why the bloody hell did you turn on the water?" I said, getting a little aggravated at his self-beating. I did not run through that _storm_ to get soaked with more cold water.

"Because we lost because of me! If I had been able to block all of their throws…"

"Oliver, you did block off all their throws." I said reasonably. I took a breath to calm myself, and I instructed Oliver to do so also.

"I can't lose anymore. If I lose, then I'm going to have nothing."

"You're not going to have nothing, Oliver. You're taking NEWT classes, and you're pretty damn smart."

"I'm a failure." he mumbled, completely ignoring what I had said. I chewed on my cheek.

"Merlin's beard, Oliver! You're _not_ a failure." I rubbed my temple, and watch him sulk his head. We were sitting on the tile floor of the boy's locker room shower, and I shifted. It was getting to the point where the tiles were digging into my butt, and I wondered how long Oliver's been sitting like this.

"Yes I am." I sighed, exasperated. _Just breath, Verity. _Oliver does this all the time, every time he loses.

"No, you're not." I said in the most calm, soothing voice I could. I hugged my knees, and looked at him. I could practically see him mentally slapping himself.

"You're lying." I ground my teeth, and stared at the wall. I hated being called a liar, and he knew that. He was just trying to drive me away, like he does to everyone after losing a match.

"You're just being difficult."

"Of course, because I'm stupid, difficult, Oliver Fucking-Failure Wood. Who plays like shit as a keeper." He said, and turned on all of the showers again. This time, I didn't try to turn them off.

I just stared at him. I stared at his face, I stared at his body, covered in gooseflesh. I stared at his hair, soaked to the point where it was flattened onto his neck. I probably stared at him for a century. Then I got mad.

"Fine!" I yelled, standing up. "Fine! You're a failure, you're the most difficult person I've met in my life!" I began getting worked up. "You're stupid, you're dumb, you're lazy! You're terrible at Quidditch! If shit shines, then you're a fucking star! Call me a liar, and I'll carve my god damn bloody heart out with a dirty stone." _Wow_. Here I was, yelling at my best friend after I ran over a mile in the rain to try to save him. Here I was, getting mad at my best friend because he's being a suicidal dick. Wow, I sure was some friend.

"I hate you, because you suck. I hate you because you're sad. I hate your hair, I hate your eyes, I hate your face, the fact that you're obsessed with Quidditch. I hate your body, I hate your fingers, I hate everything about you!" I screamed at his face. He looked at me, shocked. Never in my life have I yelled this much. I felt heat rising up to my face, and I glared at him.

"Are you happy now?" I clipped each word.

"Yeah, because you told me the truth!"

"That isn't the truth! That's just what you want to hear!" I fought. "If you want to hear the truth, don't ask me! Because I'm just going to tell you all lies! Since, I am, in fact, a _liar!_"

"You're a liar!" Oliver mocked. He stood up too, and I looked up at him with the darkest glare I could. "You're such a little liar, I don't get how I could be friends with you! You lie so much, I can never tell if you're telling the truth!" He paused for a small moment, "You _lie_ around with all these guys, and play with their feelings! You lie to their faces, you lie with your lips to theirs. You lie within your smile!" I gasped.

"Take that back! I don't do that!" I stomped.

"You lie to George, you lie to me. You're a lying soul, and all you want is attention!"

"_I'm _a lying soul? Look at yourself, you prat! You're drowning yourself in the showers because _you're_ the one looking for attention!"

"Am not! I never told anyone I was in the showers! You're the one that came to me, because you knew that I'm the only one who could provide you with the attention so you badly want!" Oliver shouted.

"I came in here to comfort your sorry ass!" I picked up a bar of soap and threw it at him. It hit him smack in the middle of the chest. A wild look grew in his eyes. "I came here to help you!" There went the shampoo. "I came here to make sure you weren't dying!" Conditioner to the other end. Every time I threw something, I got closer to him. "I came here to say it wasn't your fault!" Shaving cream can. Ouch, that one must've hurt his head. "I came here to make sure you knew you weren't a shit player!" A bright blue hair brush. "I came here to see if you were alright!" A spare quidditch shoe clunked on his shoulder. "I came here concerned about you!" I realized that I was about to throw a razor, set it down, then just continued with a broom polish can. "I came here, in the middle of a storm, to make sure you didn't personally beat yourself up!" I threw a wet sock. I was two feet away from him. "I came here to tell you _I still love you_!" _Smack! _I slapped him.

We stared at each other in shock. I lowered my hand slowly as he brought up his to feel his cheek. _Oh my god. I didn't just slap Oliver Wood in the face. _I covered my face in my hands, waiting for him to burst out, and scream at me.

He kept quiet, his gray eyes as big as saucers. I felt like crying, I felt so bad for hitting him. I groaned, full of regret.

"Goddamn it, Oliver. You can't keep doing this to me." I ran my hand through my hair. I took deep breaths as he stared at me.

"Doing what?" He asked, a little anger still licking on his words. I felt as if my heart was rubbed raw with sand paper. I looked at him, feeling tears rising.

"Doing this! I can't stand it! Ever since you became captain, you'd try to kill yourself, or get some sort of disease, and brood for a week for every loss you got. This has to stop, Oliver! I don't want to see you do this again, I can't _stand_ to see you like this." I cried as I looked at his battered face. A black eye marked where the bludger hit him. I stroked his wet hair back, and placed my palm on his cheek while wiping the water away. He just blinked back at me, surprised at my change from exasperated to distressed.

"I _love _you, Oliver. You can't do this to me anymore." I whispered to him as tears fell down my face. I hugged him tightly, and buried my face in his chest. I felt it as he slowly wrapped his cold arms around me. "I love you, Oliver." I repeated. "_Please_."

I felt his cold hands stroke my hair, and rub my back as I stayed curled into his body. He kissed the top of my head a couple of times. "I'm sorry, Verity." he said, simply and slowly.

"I can't lose you, Oliver. I can't be so close to that happening again." I sniffled into his wet uniform.

"Verity, I'm not going to die." Oliver sighed. I shook my head, and held him tighter.

"You were going to." I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath.

"I don't remember when."

"Remember when you spent the summer at my house? Last year?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Remember the night we went into the woods in my backyard?" I bit my lip, waiting for him to answer.

"Yes, Verity. I remember."

"My brother was going to kill you that night. He was the werewolf that was chasing us in the woods, Oliver." I gulped, and hid in the crook of his neck. "I knew how to defend myself from him, and I knew how we could escape safely, but when you fell down over the root, and my brother was right there… I- I just can't have that happen again." I let my tears mix into his Quidditch robes.

"Verity, I'm not going to let death take me so easily. Sure, I get depressed every time my chances for the Quidditch cup are threatened, but I'm not going to kill myself. The most I'll do is try to contract a disease that would make me stay in the Hospital Wing for about three days, and then I'll recover. And once I'm out of there, I'll have new vigor for the game, and I'll be happy, on my feet in no time." Oliver tipped my chin up with his finger. I stared at his battered face, and his bright lopsided smile.

"I don't think I can live without you, Oliver. You're my best friend, you have been for five years. If you're gone, then it won't ever be the same." Oliver's smiled grew soft.

"You may think that Quidditch is the most important thing to me, and it might seem that way all the time, but in reality… I can't play if I don't have you. Every match I have, I always have to see you in the stands before I take off." I sniffled, and snorted a half laugh.

"You're such a girl, Oliver." I smiled into his robes.

"Well, sorry for saying that I need you in my life." Oliver scoffed jokingly. "No, but actually, Verity… I don't know where I'd be now, without you."

"I wouldn't know where I'd be either, Ol." I confessed. I laughed softly as I wiped my eyes. "Bloody hell, we're just a pair of bipolar idiots. Look at us." Oliver laughed.

"Maybe _you're_ bipolar, but I know _I'm_ not." I hit him playfully on the chest, and he chuckled.

"If I'm the bipolar one, then you're the idiot." I smiled at him goofily. He rolled his eyes, but a smile still played at his lips.

"We're dumb and dumber." I nodded, and laughed with him.

"Partners in crime?"

"No, that'd be Fred and George. We're just stupid."

"Right." I agreed. "God, Oliver. You make me turn into such a sappy person. I hate you." I shook my head, and quietly chuckled. He grinned at me widely.

"I love you too, Ver. Even if you make me a dumbass." I hit his shoulder.

"Come on. We better get out of here before Madame Hooch comes and kills us for making so much noise. Or gets any ideas after seeing us." I turned off all the water, and picked up my wand.

"She might think we had some kinky, hot-"

"Gross! Not even! When did you become so perverted? I liked you better when you talked about Quidditch!" I laughed, and magically set all the things I threw straight. Oliver shrugged.

"The twins corrupted me."

"Go figure." I snorted, and threw Oliver a clean shirt.

"This is a girl's shirt!"

"Good. Maybe it'll match your personality for once."

"You're terrible, Verity." Oliver rolled his eyes. I flashed him a smile worthy enough to go against Lockhart's.

"And you're a posh little puppy!"


	10. Don't You Know?

"You know, I really wish we had an umbrella. Isn't there a spell for creating a bubble like one?" I said as Oliver and I were running across the impossibly long bridge. He holds my hand as we slip across a patch of ice, laughing despite all of the falls.

"If there is one, I wouldn't know it. I haven't been paying attention in class." I roll my eyes as we pass the courtyard. We pry open the doors to the Grand Entrance, and try to run to the portrait hole.

There are a number of professors roaming the halls, considering the Sirius Black break in the other week. Students aren't supposed to be "dilly daddling" in the hallways, as Percy says, so Oliver and I hid behind suits of armor every time we turned a corner or saw someone patrolling. They didn't fancy us using them as shields, ironically, and moved around, squeaking at their joints until Oliver and I sneaked away before they could make more noise.

We approach Sir Cadogan on his stupid, fat pony as he slashed around his sword. I sigh, and tell him the new password. "Quidditch, for it is the honor of which we have today."

Sir Cadogan scoffs at me, and I scoff back. "Nice picking a biting one today, Cadogan." I mutter as he opens to the hole for me and Oliver. Oliver remembers the match, and sulks a little. I rub his back, and lead him to the fireplace. "Don't beat yourself up. Remember all that we went through today." He nods, and pulls me close to him. I shiver against him, our wet clothes give us both gooseflesh, but the heat from the fire feels amazing.

"Let's get cleaned up, okay? I'm freezing." I let go, and smile at him. He chuckles, and I raise an eyebrow at him.

"Can we clean up together?" Oliver pulls on a smirk, and I slap his arm. Who knew that Oliver is this dirty minded?

"No. I want my sweaters, and I want you in yours. We'll go to dinner together, so meet me here in thirty minutes, okay?" I say sternly. Oliver pouts like a little kid, and I laugh.

"Can I at least meet you in your room?" He asks. I poke his nose.

"No. It's not allowed." I wink, and run up the stairs.

* * *

><p>On Sunday, whilst Oliver and I were walking the corridors, admiring the oh-so perfect thunderstorm, McGonagall called Oliver into her office, and he came out looking very shaken.<p>

"Ol, what's wrong?" I ask him, he just looks up at me dazedly.

"Harry's broom's been smashed to bits. She came to me wondering which school broom he should use." He puts his head in his hands. "I don't know how he supposed to catch the snitch on a Shooting Star!" I furrow my eyebrows as I gently take his hands away from his face.

"I see you've returned to your normal Quidditch state." Oliver just rolls his eyes.

"I won't return to that unless Ravenclaw beats Hufflepuff by two hundred points. But for you," He brushes a piece of my hair behind my ear, "I'm determined not to kill myself."

"You are such a sap." I laugh, and Oliver beams at me. We hear footsteps down the hall, and look over their direction.

"Who's a sap? Is it Verity? Of course it is, her name is True Love!" Fred laughs, and comes near us. He wraps his lanky arms around each of our shoulders. "George and I are heading to visit Harry. The rest of the team is coming too, you guys should come!" George comes too, and does the same as his brother.

Oliver and I look at each other, knowing that we don't have a choice with both of the twins practically dragging us down the hall. Oliver shrugged, and I just raised my eyebrows at him. I don't know Harry too well, but since he is quite popular, it wouldn't be too embarrassing if I came.

I sat on a chair behind the team as Oliver started to spew out all he knew about Harry's new, temporary broom. I chew on my cheek, trying to keep up with his racing words. I knew if even I couldn't understand him, none of his teammates would be able to either. Katie Bell turns around, and sees me. She walks to me.

"It's not worth it to get him to stop talking, huh?" She asks as she stood next to me. I laugh quietly, and shake my head. "Angie has been trying to for the past five minutes, but she's barely even gotten a word in."

"Oliver's like that, you should know." I say, smiling at her. "I mean, all he talks about is Quidditch."

"Or something remarkably dirty. I think he needs to be laid soon." Katie giggles. I stare at her in shock. This girl is fourteen, right?

She starts to blush red when I stare at her for too long. I clear my throat, and fix my hair to be more manageable than the extremely curly locks I made it this morning. I straightened my hair out with a blink, and tie it in a high pony tail. I look over at Oliver, thinking over what Katie said, and realize that yeah, Oliver does need to get laid sometime so he can stop bantering me with innuendos every other day.

"I guess you're right. He does say a few explicit things." I mutter under my breath as I watch him get really animated. He started to simulate the movements of the broom with hands, and completed it all with wooshing sounds.

"Ha, tell me something that he said!" Katie raises an eyebrow at me, and folds her arms. I blush red, trying to pick out one of a million.

"One day, when he was coming around to pick me up from the library after practice, he approached me and said, 'Don't you want to ride my broomstick, Verity?' with a smirk." Katie immediately groans and I laugh.

"Of course it would be Quidditch related."

"It took all I had to not burst out laughing. Pince was glaring at us the entire time, and we ran out of there." I recount the scene in my head, remembering Oliver and I running all the way to the common room, and panting. He and I just laughed and collapsed on one of the fluffy couches, just to fall asleep.

"You guys are pretty close, aren't you?" Katie asks. I scrunch my nose.

"I guess. It's been nearly five years since we've met. I think it's sufficient enough to say so."

"You know, he talks about you a lot. I don't think he means to, but sometimes during practice, I catch him muttering to himself about what he should say to you." I cock my head to the side. _What he should say to me?_

"Do you watch him a lot during practice? I think he'd be bothered if you weren't focused on the quaffle." I see Katie's ears turn pink, and a smile grows on my face. "Do you have a crush on Oliver, Katie?" I whisper. Her eyes grow big.

"No! I couldn't like him! He's the largest prat I know! I mean, no offense, Verity, but how do you have the patience to deal with him?" I chuckle at her outburst.

"He's sweeter once you crack the shell. I think I'm lucky that I'm not on the team, or else I'd have to deal with him being as crazy as a bat. Anyway, Katie, you can tell me if you like him." I say, as if I were her young aunt or something. She just guffaws.

"I used to have a crush on him when I was twelve, but after seeing how crazy he was at practices, and how it just got worse when he became captain, I have no interest in dealing with his insanity on an intimate level. Besides, I see the way he looks at you. It's as if he's a puppy."

"A puppy, right." I scoff. Katie smirks.

"You're really clueless when it comes to boys, aren't you? I mean, I can't believe you don't know that George and Oliver li-"

"SO, I THINK I'M DONE EXPLAINING ABOUT THE SHOOTING STAR!" Oliver rushes towards me, and pulls me up by my arm. I bet my eyes are as large as the moon. "Let's go, Verity, we have something to attend." He glares at Katie, and she just stares back with a sarcastic face. I look quickly between them.

"But it's Sunday and I finished all of my-" I start, but Oliver interrupts me.

"NOPE. We're going. We have that thing. Yeah that thing, in the common room, and uh, I have to stop by a broom closet."

"A broom closet? Oliver, there's always nothing but pails in broom closets-" He starts tugging my towards the doors, and I'm tripping over my own feet staring at the others.

"Bye Harry! I'll see you in practice! I hope you get better, or else we won't have a seeker! Bye Gryffindor team!" Oliver yells before we pause at the entrance. I look up in time to see him shoot Katie the worst glare he could muster. Even I get scared, so I shift my gaze to the rest of the Hospital Wing's occupants, smiling at them sheepishly as Oliver drags me out.


End file.
